Gate: March of the Empires
by Empty Promise
Summary: The year 1905 brings forth a new discovery, not flight, not telephones, but another world rich for the picking, and it has now picked a fight with Sleeping Giants the power of which they could never have guessed...
1. Chapter 1 A Sudden turn

**Tokyo, November 30th 1905**

Emperor Meji, leader of the Empire of Japan looked over his troops, the brave warriors like samurai of old in white field dress, bayonets shining in the sun as they marched in a victory parade for having beat Russian forces in the recent war against the large nation. Many Japanese had been shocked by the war, the cries for peace ignored,but this parade was meant to show them why they had fought, to preserve a Japan in Asia, and Bushido had won out.

Now all that was left was to show the people that any threat to Japan, out or inside the borders, a year before he would have thought himself mad at the thought, but after massive riots after word of Accepting the terms of the Czars surrender, many had taken to the streets, ground taken from Russia was returned and no payment was to be received, the idea had outraged the people and this show of force today was hoped to give these same people the idea that to rebel again would be only a swift fools death at the hands of the "Nippon Denji" or Japanese Soldier, true men of Japan who would die before she was handed over to Europe or any Asian Power. Rifles held high and march swift, the Imperial Army was, to him at least, the finest the world wold know, for as the year 1905 would soon come to a close, he knew the Japanese would look back upon it in history as a time of victory for herself.

As yet another Formation past his viewing stand, Meji was blinded by a sight in the distance, as if he had looked into the sun. As his sight returned he could make out a large archway, similar to a painting of the one the French had in their own Paris, before he could speak up to the Staff of Army and Navy Officers in his booth, a howl that chilled his bones in the early war Fall air seeped through the air like a demon and a mass of scales soared overhead, blackening the sky below them, spiting forth flames into the wooden buildings that lined the streets for miles.

A mass of screams echoed from the city, the ranks of troops halting for a moment before officers began shouting orders, Generals bowing to him before leaving to command their men. he looked up again at the sky above Tokyo, now massing with black smoke from dozens of fires on a single street alone.

 _"1905 will be remembered"_ he though solemnly.

 **...**

"Now Go" Taki heard an Officer shout as his squad charged forwards down the bumpy cobblestone street at the invaders dressed in gleaming armor, a westerner might ask why they would charge them rather then fire in rank, but what did some fool ignorant of true honor know about war?

The Imperial soldiers, dressed in white in stark contrast, roared as they massed forwards at the enemy ranks, his blood pumped through his veins as they slammed into the enemies wall of raised Shields, stopping most of the Bayonet tipped Arisaka rifles, one or two luckier souls having their blades slide between the wall of Shields inflicting damage to the invaders.

"Form and fire" he heard and raised his rifle and fired, the 6.5x50mm round pinging off the broad metal "wall" with a sharp crack. The enemy ranks let forth a battle cry of it's own as the shields raised and a fury of short swords swept the Soldiers drawing blood over the streets and their clean cut uniforms. The Soldiers stood their ground fighting in a crimson coated melee, Blades flashed in the light of flaming timbers, the air became chocked with gunpowder and screaming roared.

Men in armor fell from bullet wounds, IJA troops found themselves stabbed through the cloth of field shirts that gave no protection from the sharp short swords carried by their foes, the battle raged forth across every street, Artillery fired timed shell's in an attempt to clear the skies of the winged hordes, At See, Tokyo Harbor and docks were ablaze, a larger gate had appeared along with the first, this one spewing a Armada of Wooden sail ships, mounting weapons like Ballistas and even Catapults that hurled flaming projectiles through the air onto the city.

As night soon fell, a light fell over the city as the remaining Army unit's regrouped, the few Naval Ships in Harbor that hadn't been sunk (A cargo ship carrying shell's for the fleet had taken a hit from the invaders own navy, the flames rocked the bay taking the cargo ship and a Destroyer with it) and the rest withdrew to regroup (On Orders from the Emperor himself, the only thing keeping them from disobeying and fighting anyway)

As the unknown enemy took hold of areas of the city, and the night took hold, it was clear that the world would never be the same...


	2. Chapter 2 For the Worse

**_"Veni, vidi, vici" Translates to "I came, i saw, i conquered"-Julis Cesar in a letter to the Senate, 46 BC_**

As the dawn rose over Tokyo,cuting through the thick black smoke that hung like clouds of dread over the city a calm silence rose with it, no cries from vendors in the market, no children on their way to school, as the sun rose it shed light on the roads, bodies lined the streets, many buildings now nothing but piles of ash in the wind, and an Alien dialect was now spoken replacing the yapping of city dwellers as ranks of armored warriors marched down the streets in file.

At the head of the march, a mounted Officer in shining armor, the crimson red plume that ran down his helmet top should his rank compared to the bare helmeted legionaires under him lead the march out of the city towards the forces massing there.

"Forwards, for the Empire's glory" he shouted raising his blade into the air, the clean steel shining in the morning light as he waved forwards his Cohort of 480 Legionaries of the Empire, men who had seen conquest in far off lands in the name of glory for the Emperor's name. He had served as a Centurion in almost three campaigns, fighting Bandits inside the borders and now here, in his forth Campaign, he expected to leave his mark.

As they neared the edge of the city, he was taken back at the lack of walls or battlements, just open land and forest, a few small homes here and there spread out over the lush green landscape before him and his troops.

 _"And now they pay the price for it"_ he thought before shaking his head at the mistake of an unfortified city and speaking once more.

"Form march" he cried as they moved into proper walking formation and out of the cramped one they had used inside the city. As they reformed in a three main lines, he rode to the head of his men and halted "Now then, let us bring forth more for our empire as the Vanguard of the Vanguard" he shouted as they roared in return at thoughts of the riches they would soon plunder from this land and her people.

 _"I'll gain favor with the Senate for sure now"_ The Centurion thought to himself greedily as they marched on towards a small shape, a city in the distant...

* * *

 **Imperial Army Headquarters, Relocated to Nagoya,** **Aichi Prefecture** **Japan**

A table sat,over it half a dozen men ranging from their early 40s to some even in their late 60s argued over how to combat the invaders.

"We must send all readily available forces into battle against them" one shouted

"No" another chimed in "We must hold our ground and wear them down" he cursed with vigor

" they will attack Sagamihara, it is the nearest city to Tokyo, we must set up line of-"

A loud thud jarred the room to silence as all eyes turned to General Nogi Maresuke, the Hero of the Recent war with the Czar, the man who had taken Port Arthur, both his sons losing their life for the Emperor and Japan, the man was a living legend and he now stood before them.

" Look here" he ordered pointing at Sagamihara on the map, "She is within a days march of Tokyo, she will fall no matter how many troops we send, the mountains that line the coastal road will likely keep the invaders from taking any inland cities located beyond them, if we wish to defeat the Invaders, we must draw them an open engagement here" he pointed to a spot on the map "Near Fuji, it is far enough for the Army to send troops in advance of the enemy who will have to move round Mt Hakone, and fortify the city and dig in, there. we will make are stand and repulse them"

The room held silence before a younger officer, not even thirty spoke out "Are you saying we should simply give the invaders ground without fight"? he snarled in anger, the thoughts of the enemy trampling over his homeland.

"In war, to let one's emotion drip over their mind is a mistake best not made" he told the young officer, he had seen and felt the same before, but he would not send more men to their deaths as he had mistakenly done before fighting for Port Arthur, his mistake costing the lives of far too many.

 _"I can do nothing but keep myself from making the same mistake"_ he thought, the memory stabbing like a blade. He has been disgraced, but Emperor Meji had refused his plea to commit _Seppuku,_ but Meji had forbade it on the grounds that Nogi would accompany him to the next world when his own time came, a great honor.

"Now then" he said clearing his mind "Gentlemen, we have a battle to win" and with that, he made his exit.

* * *

 **Fuji,** **Shizuoka** **Prefecture, Japan**

"Move it, you bring dishonor to your family with the speed of your pace" the Officer cried as Taki dug his shovel into the earth, a scope full of dirt flying over his shoulder a moment later. The entire Regiment had been taken in by rail to set up a defense against the advancing enemy forces, they had kicked the Imperial Army out of Tokyo, shameful indeed but they had fought for every single inch of it, many who passed over had taken an enemy soldier with them.

He still hadn't had his chance, but it would come soon enough he thought to himself as two older men strolled nearby walked down the line of men at work, looking over them

"As you can see sir, we will be ready for the invaders when they arrive, we will defeat them" Taki overheard the younger Officer say, his voice full of pride, the other man didn't look assure Taki noticed.

Perhaps so, but always wait until after battle to claim victory"the older men sighed, Taki nodded slightly as he went about his work, "Far to many men died due to an officer wanting to make a name for himself, even at the cost of his men, older soldiers like the man knew more about battles and how you win them then any Officer ever would.

"If we can get the Navy to give support we may win this"

"The Navy"? the Officer stuttered, the Army and Navy saw each other as nothing more then rivals to try to outdo. "Sir, you would let the Navy into our battle, are own artillery should be more then enough for-" he was interrupted as the older officer spoke again.

"If we wish to defeat the enemy, we will funnel him onto the coast and let the Navy have their own shot at them"

The man flushed and nodded with a bow "Yes General Nogi" he said causing Taki to almost swallow his own tongue, the man was a hero and had lead the Army to victory during the war with the Russians, and now here he stood among the common soldiers of Japan as if it wasn't an issue.

"You down there, what do you think" Taki heard before slowly raising his head and meeting eyes with Nogi, he was silent for a moment

"When the General speaks to you, reply"! the officer next to him yelled before Nogi held a hand for him to stop.

"Sir...i know we beat them, they have but blades and bows to our Bayonets and Rifles, out in the open, they will be cut down like grass before rifle and machine gun fire" he spat out nervously.

The man thought to himself before his lips curled into a smile "As do i Private, Lieutenant Akabi, you have a smart soldier here, if i recall, your in search of a new Corporal aren't you? This man seems like the right material for one" he added as he and the Officer walked back down the line, Akabi's gaze catching his own and nodding to his unspoken question.

He was a Corporal now.

* * *

 **Two Miles from Fuji**

As the song of victory was sung as the Cohort marched onwards, regrouping with three others to strengthen the force to almost 1920 legionaries strong! If a single Centuria of a mere eighty Legionaries could route out the enemy in the close quarters of the city, what could they do in force against the enemy in the open?

Marching over a rise the Army halted, before them lie the enemy a mere mile and a half away, rolling hills before a flat open plain, and upon closer inspection, they could see long trenches dug with the soldiers in them.

"They've all ready dug their own graves"! One Legionarie laughed causing the rest to do the same as a horn sounded.

"Forwards" a Centurion roared waving his blade, the ranks raised their shields and in marched towards the enemy force at pace, between the formations of men, Orges and Orks among other manner of creature horded together, some dragging clubs, others only needing their bare hands to tear their foes to pieces.

And behind the Legions of foot soldiers, a line of horsemen tromped at their heels, their lances shining in the morning light, ready to sweep footsoldiers out of the open once they retreated from the infantry ahead of them.

Marching forth in step the day looked to bring forth yet another victory for the Empire...

...

The Japanese Artilery sat by, the crew standing by as an Officer looked at his watch

 _" 8:00 sharp, messenger should be here by now"_

He heard a sharp tatting and looked up from his watch as a infantrymen with rounded glasses and a shaved lip ran towards him from the front line.

"Sir, enemy approaches from the east, here on the map" the soldier pointed to a marked area of the map, a "Free Fire Zone" in which they had orders to shell without regard if the invaders entered it.

"Good work," he said patting the messenger on the shoulder "Battery, commence firing on my go...3...2...1...FIRE"

...

One moment, the legion had been marching, the next...

Hell.

All around the earth seemed to be thrown up by forces unknown, as if the wraith of Hardy had slammed down upon them all, limbs flying about mixed with cries for help. It was like an unseen army had attacked, sliced through the ranks and then fell back still unseen.

An Officer, his mount shot out from under him stood up, his crested helmet shining in the son and waved his men into ranks

"Forwards men, for glory and for the Emperor FORWARDS"!

His cries rallied the troops unscaved who formed up in rank and charged as a running pace, shields raised and blades posed. Through the rain of death they ran, cresting over a small hill, a city now in sight and before it things that looked like small waterless cannals,that held men inside them.

As they charged, a roar like a horde of boars shock the air and men fell in scores, Archers fired in return, some finding mark in the enemies ranks but it was not enough, in the cannals, three soldiers dressed in white lugged up a boxy weapon and placed it down pointing out at the Legions, a sharp cracking in quick time knocked men down, bright flashes came forth sounding like the counting of grass with a blade c _hat-chat-chat-chat-chat!_ called death as he sent his share of souls to Hardy's gates.

The grassy hills dripped with blood as what was left of the legion regrouped, from the right flank, a formation of almost two hundred hoursmen swarmed towards the Japanese lines, from a vantage point, an Officer fired a flare into the air, the red fiery sprite called forth a crack that echoed for miles and a wizz as 16 inch shells crashed into the ranks from ships off shore, the commander of one of the cohorts looked on in horror as his proud troops retreated dropping weapons and armor to move faster, the enemy charged forth, firing their weapons at the fleeing troops, enraged he picked up a bow and strung and arrow, taking dead aim he fired, the wooded shafted metal tip plunging into an trooper, his wooden weapon flying from his grip.

No sooner had he dropped the bow then he raised his short sword to deflect a blow from an enemy, this one an officer judging by his skill and weapon, the soldiers he had seen before had wooden thunder staffs, some tipped with blades, but this man wielded a sword, the blade slightly curved, he screamed with every swing, only years if battling bandits giving the commander any chance of holding his own, a small group of the white clad troops formed a cricle, jeering their leader on.

"You will not defeat me savage" he cried swinging his short sword in a arc under the blade and lodging it into the side of the man's stomach, he smiled only to feel a great pain and fall to the earth, his vision red, he watched the man sheath his blade, now a sickly crimson from his own blood.

And as the world grew dim and dark, he closed his eyes for the last time...

* * *

Sheathing his sword, the officer looked over the body of his fallen foe, a slice across the man's neck leaking blood, his own wound from the man's blade was minor, the weapon only cutting into his carry bag and topskin and nothing more, it did draw blood but it wasn't fatal.

He looked at the rest of his men, all held faces that approved of his victory. He felt a smile slide across his own face and nodded.

"Come on then, we have a battle to win" he shouted ordering the rest forwards, there was still an enemy to be fought after all, but turning his head back one last time, he gave a silent pray to the gods _"He fought well, give him honor in the afterlife"_

He turned back, the enemy growing small as they retreated back towards the burning capital,Tokyo.

Soon enough he though _"Your capital shall burn"_

* * *

 **Washington DC, White House**

Outside the residence of the President of the Untied States, a Platoon of Soldiers dressed in Kaki Stood guard, rifles shouldered but at the ready, Washington among other cities, had been attacked by unknown invaders, if not for the swift actions of the United States Army, the capital nearly falling into the hands of a hostel enemy power for the first time since 1814, managing to contain the threat inside the city's limits before sweeping them clean back through the door they came through.

Looking out from his Office at the city, smoking from the fighting still rising, Theodore Roosevelt scowled.

"Damn them to hell i say, when we find whoever did this i'll see to it they're strung up" he clenched through his grinding jaw, his country had seen enough of war, he himself had fought the Spanish in Cuba, "Bully Days" he sighed to himself as the door to his office opened and an aid dressed in a suit walked in.

"Sir,we have word that the Japanese have retaken Tokyo from the Romans" he said "Came in by wire not twenty minutes ago"

Well then, what of the Kasier Bill and his mess"?

"German Troops are pushing the Romans back, as are the French and English, the Czar on the other hand is having a deal harder a time"

"Well, he did just lose a war, to be expected, but once the Russian Steamroller gets moving, he'll kick em good" the Leader said sternly, "Now then, how soon can we mobilize the Army and Navy against these bastards"?

"Soon enough Colonel" he heard a voice say and turned to see Colonel John J Pershing, a man he had known for a good deal of time as a model officer, shaking his hand he smiled "Damn good to see you John, what do you make of this mess"? he asked the Colonel dressed in Kaki.

"Well, they seem to be well, out of touch, swords and Bows aren't the most modern weapons, a few companies of riflemen could route an entire corps of them"

"Your starting to sound like Custar John, and we all remember what happened to him" he added to the Colonel as they both took their seats. They spoke of what to do, most of the Army's good troops and officers were in the Philippines or stationed in other far off posts.

"The 10th Cav is still posted in the great plains and can be here in less then two weeks time sir, and if we retrain the local Guardmen we can have a division sized unit in strength in a month, the Navy is sweeping up the enemy near fort McHenry and can have Marines on enemy shores in mass by the time the rest of the Army is ready"

"Well then" Roosevelt smiled standing up "Get to it John, and make them pay for this". Pershing stood up and placed his hat back on "Will do sir, will do" and with that, he turned and walked away...

* * *

 **So there's chapter two, took a while but hope it was worth your wait.**

 **Yes, the worlds going after the empire this time, England, the US, Germany, France, Russia and Japan, i'm hoping for this to be written like a Turtledove Novel, Mr Turtledove has written many great books, from the Union losing the Civil War to Aliens landing in 1942 and stopping WW2, he does it right.**

 **And hey, it's Christmas, so here's your gift!**

 **See you in 2016!**


	3. Chapter 3 Ready the World for War

**Colonel AmiruddinArifSulaiman : Haha, Somewhat so,Marines, US and otherwise, will be used in a smaller role (I know, as a Marines fan it's weird to see me do it) because this is prior to Marines being used in the role we know today, the English and her Commonwealths will be involved, India, Canada, New Zealand, Burma, Malaysia among others, i could go on forever, but you'll be pleased with the amount if Historic troops in use, i know it.**

 **Law77: Thank you, i'm using a style i'm rather fond of and glade others enjoy, and sorry on the spelling, if i get "Into the Grove" i write so fast, i put down the wrong words at times, will read over chapters before i publish them more often.**

 **MrTerrorist: Yes...but not like the Allies in either World War, at the time, the only large scale Alliance between nations of any real note had been the "Eight Nations Alliance" that had fought together during the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900, so well the Nations will be fighting side by side, it will be an uneasy alliance.**

 **Wardog1: Perhaps So...we will be seeing some Alternate History here,the biggest change to our timeline will come in the form of...Ah, let's save that for a latter chapter shall we? We shall see!**

 **coronadomontes: Gracias señor:)**

 **Dragonheart51 Thank you, and sorry, i always misspell his name, i end up getting it confused with the desert that sounds similar.**

 **TheNoWhereMan: Glade to be able to deliver for you then:)**

 **Alex Retzer Thanks, it's nice to get some feedback on the history bits, little things (Theodore Roosevelt hated the name Teddy, Friends would call him the "Colonel" the rank he held during the Spanish-American War three years before) like that are a big part of this story, and i'm glade you enjoy them, and as for Arnus well...get ready to have the 10th US Cavalry to charge head first into hell, watch the German Army thin the ranks of the empire with the best Artillery in the world!**

 **The UK will fire vollys into Legions like it's going out of style, the Japanese will wreck them, machine guns will clog the air with bullets, flares will light the night!**

 **...Sorry, got a bit over excited there huh? Well, i have one regret...**

 **We can't bring in a "Paris Gun"...*Sniff*...**

 **ATP: My mistake, my knowlege of naval weaponry is more focused on the Second World War and not the early 1900s, i'll fix that and thank you for telling me.**

 **grievousrommel: Yes, it's his _World War_ series of novels, good reads if you can find them.**

* * *

 ** _"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before"- Edgar Allen Poe_**

 **Alnus Hill**

Aquila looked in shock as he watched legions, swarms of men run back from the gate ways that sat upon the seven hills of Alnus, many missing armor and weapons. The Officer was shocked to see the once proud legions of the Empire in such a state.

"Stop at once!, for the Empire stop, all of you shall be killed for this" he cried out waving his blade in the air. This didn't stop the Legionaries, they still ran as phantoms chased at their tails.

He gave up as they moved out of the way and thought to himself sheathing his blade.

 _"What awaits on the other side that could cause this"?_ he asked himself mounting his horse and riding towards the capital to report this... _Cowardice_ to his own leaders.

* * *

 **Tokyo, Japan**

Rubble lined the streets, a side effect of the softening the Navy had given the city with it's big guns. Taki gripped his rifle as he slowly made his way down the shattered ruins of a street.

Up ahead, he could see Lieutenant Akabi waving him towards him, he ran over and nodded at him "Sir"

"Corporal Taki, i need you to take a few men and flush the enemy out of that warehouse" he ordered pointing at a ruined building down the street, between them lay overturned carts and all manner of junk.

"Yes sir, Haio, Takibi, Toshi, follow me" he shouted as the three soldiers moved in tow with him down the street. He had taken to leading quickly and found he was quite good at keeping his charges alive.

 _"My Charges"? I sound like some Teacher"_ he thought to himself with a smile, he quickly buttoned it down as they moved on. The four men crouched low, rifles at the ready as they took care to stay silent. As they neared the building, Taki could tell it had been struck by a shell at some point, the windows shattered and the roof scoffed with dark burns.

He waved his hand and the three soldiers gathered around him "Okay, we're going to flush the wanabe _Bushi_ out of the that building" he ordered as both nodded and smiled at the thought of going toe to toe with their foes.

Both stood and ran, rifles held at the hip towards the next bit of cover, an overturned rice cart. Both pressed themselves up against it, one turned and move forwards, slowly inching their way closer they moved. Both stooped short of the door, rifles raised and trotted cautiously forwards towards the unknown.

The doorway from where Taki was seemed like it was darker then a shadow in the night, both stepped in front of it, and with a harsh cry opened fire as screams followed suit as both soldiers yelled in pain as a mass of metal clad warriors charged over them, swarming like ants, blades flashing and slashing.

Taki raised his won rifle and fire, a sharp ping coming from the mob as the bullet went through one of the enemy's breastplate and out the other end.

"FIRE" he shouted as he and his remaining private fired in a volly, sending two down at once, pulling the bolt back he worked the action of his rifle and fired again, and again, more enemies fell.

As only one remained he heard the tell tail _click_ of an empty rifle...

* * *

 **Mouth of the Elbe River, Germany**

The SNS _Brandenburg_ cruised at a brisk twenty knots through the waters of the North sea. The Battleship was armed with six large guns, along with almost twenty smaller ones, she had seen service in quelling the Boxer Rebellion in China only four years early, and she was commanded by Maximilian von Spee, a Naval Officer who had been aboard since he commanded the ship during the Boxer Rebellion, having captained a Gunboat in East Africa before that, he was to many, a model Seaman.

from the bridge, he looked over the horizon, fires burned from Cuxhaven sending up smoke for miles. Many of the crew knew the city well, cheap drinks and loose woman after a month a sea was what made it a favorite port for leave, and now it was under attack. The Enemy, the same that had attacked Berlin through it's large doorway had opened another off the coast and had been raiding the local towns for days, now that the Navy had organized, it was time for a counter attack.

"Ready the Marines, we're landing them" Von Spee sad, his voice full of hate. The ensign nodded and ran off to report it to the commander of the Seebataillon troops stationed aboard, a small unit of forty or so men.

Ahead on the sea, the small shapes of enemy vessels were plain as day, the small sail ships were almost laughable by any military standards

"Even the Yankee's Navy is better then that" he laughed, his mood changing as he watched the smaller ships bob in the surf "All hands battle stations, prepare to fire main guns" he shouted, the large turrets turning in the salt air towards the enemy ships and with a _Wump_ firing.

The shell sailed true, strciking on of the four oar ships dead one.

Von Spee Watched through his field glasses as the ship burst red like a firework and sunk, the timbers still above water in flames. The other two craft in view turned towards them, archers on the side readying their bows. The guns fired again sinking two more, but the last didn't retreat, it charged forwards on a wind, it wanted blood.

Von Spee and his crew would have none of that.

On the deck of the _Brandenburg,_ sailors carried out a Maxim Gun and set it up on the railing. The guncrew held fast and as the ship came into range the commander ordered them to fire, a sharp clatter filled the air as wood and timbers were chipped away, bullets clanged off of armor and into soft bodies sending blood about the boat.

The archers not hit by the turrent of the machine gun returned fire, wooded shafted arrows tipped with steel sailed through the air and struck the ship, a few sailors on deck were wounded but the Maxim forced the boat to withdraw from it's attack wounded and limping.

"Let them run, they'll be in range of the big guns soon enough" he said watching the few remaining sailors grab the oars and row away, sails tattered but still flapping in the wind. As she limped further away, the "big guns" cried again and ended the ships life.

Von Spee lowered his field glasses and pointed at one of his ensigns "Turn to port, we're heading to Cuxhaven" he spat out as the ship turned, bellow decks, the landing parties readied themselves for battle.

Soon enough it would come.

* * *

 **Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria**

 _"Allez! Allez! Allez!"_ the Officer cried in French as the line of men charged forwards through the desert, the men dressed in their white uniforms, bluecoats and _Kepi_ caps all came from different backgrounds, different places, but all shared a common thing.

The Legion

 _la Légion_

 _die Legion_

It wasn't important as to what you called it, whatever language it still meant the same thing, Brotherhood and honor, to one's self, and to France. They came from all corners of the world to make a new life for themselves.

 _If_ that is they can pass what some would call "The Toughest Training in the world"

"Faster" the officer yelled again, some of the newer Legionaries were having a tough time keeping pace with the rest of the unit, all of them new, they were none the less resented by the older men.

But together, they we're all brothers in arms, who would fight for each other in a heartbeat.

"Damn it this is rough" one man whispered under his breath, his face was clean of a beard or any hair, his skin a dark shade showing his native heritage to Africa.

"Company halt"! the Officer yelled as the rank stopped. The officer turned and walked down the line towards the man and stopped at him "private, this is marching, if this is rough for you,a little legion hike, then the day of battle will be your last day of life"

"Yes sir, sorry sir" he said at once. The man only shook his head, "What is your name private"?

"Private Willis Clark, sir"

"Well then Private Clark, i hope you can take to training, because soon enough, we will be somewhere far worse for you" he smiled walking away and yelling "Company forwards"! as they began the march once more...

* * *

 **Fort Dixon, Iowa**

2nd Lieutenant David Clark smiled as he watched the rows of Horse Soldiers trotted by in time with one another. The show was a sight to awe, even more so wehn one looked at the Horse Soldiers themselves.

All but some of the officers were Black.

These were the men of the 10th Cavalry. They had chased Indians in the great plains and charged up Kettle pot hill along side the Rough riders, well not the most famous of units, they had pride in themselves, and wouldn't let a biggot say otherwise not matter the color of their skin. He had joined almost a decade before, e had fought in Cuba and had seen war, and now he could smell it again.

"Morn'in Lieutenant"! he heard Parker say as he turned, the boy was new to the 10th, his ass was still red from the slap the doctor gave him, but David saw something in him, himself back when he was still wet behind the ears.

"Morning to you too Private" he replied "Why aren't you drilling with everyone else"?

The private nodded at his leg, done up in a cast, he was on crutches "fell of the damn horse sir"! he smiled smugly showing his toothy grin.

"Well then, rest easy, best i can tell, soon enough we're going to be out of here". The formation of horse troops turned left on the Parade ground and he watched the animals swat their rears with their tails.

"I hope i'm heal'd up by then" the younger trooper said with vigor. The older of the two didn't see it the same "Kid, i never said that was a good thing" he sighed as the formation galloped away as a bugle sounded.

"War never is a good thing son" he whispered to himself.

* * *

 **Imperial Senate**

"WHAT"? the harsh cry rang out after Aquila had made his statement.

The Invasion had failed on every front, some still held out, but to a centurion like himself, it was clear they were going to be on the losing side of this fight, the enemy was armed with magic they couldn't begin to comprehend let alone match in battle, and now, the the Gates almost lost, he had to wonder what would come of them?

He found it unlikely they would not want to seek blood in return, any kingdom would.

"Then we must send the Legions to route them"! a senator cried somewhere in the stands. Hearing this others joined in "Yes, we'll stop them at Alnus"!

Aquila breathed a sigh of utter disdain, did they understand what he was saying, this enemy was something they could not just crush into nothing like some backwater barbarian tribe, they needed a doctor's tools, not a butchers cleaver!

"If we do anything, let it be done with a clear head" he heard a voice all to familiar say from the corner of the room, he turned to see Princess Pina Co Lada dressed the her armor, she was leader of a company of knights, she unalike most of the leadership of the empire, understood military matters in far greater detail and seriousness then someone who hadn't seen a battlefield since before the forming of the Vassal states some forty years before.

Pina walked slowly to the center of the room "I ask you all a question, how many of you have ever commanded troops on the field of battle"?

No reply came from the crowd.

"As i thought, then please reframe from giving our command unjust military advice from someone with no understanding of such matters eh" she asked making even the hardened centurion cringe.

"What do you think we should do then Princess"? the question sailed across the senate, Pina didn't lift her as she answered "I'll speak it over with my Father, we shall see what he thinks of the matter" she said before briskly turning, her cap throwing itself up as if a dramatic wind had blown through as she strode away, her armored footwear causing her steps to echo outwards before growing faint and then, nonexistent.

The Senate, in a very rare case of, grew silent.

Aquila only wondered what was in store for not only himself, but his empire.

 _"May the gods look upon us and judge us in kind"_ he prayed to himself as the senators ranks began to leave.

* * *

 **Tokyo,Japan**

Taki sat with his back to a wall, his rifle propped up sat his side and let out a moan as he pushed the smoke from his tobacco out of his throat and into the air above his head. They had taken the city back, everything. And now he sat across the road in Ginza looking at the...Doorway these invaders had come through. The large doorway had three Machine guns set up nearby, incase any more invaders came through, but Taki found that unlikely.

They had ran from their postions and retreated through the gate, gun fire here and there told the Corporal that some of them had been cut off and were now being hunted down like rats.

He didn't care, he was just happy it was over.

War was hell, nothing honorable at all about it, the blood and guts of his men strewn across the streets proved that. The enemy had been real, one that didn't give ground, forcing it to won by blood, sweat and guts, not honor.

Taking another drag he looked at the large white Gate again " _How could something so pretty cause all this?"_

* * *

 **Berlin, Germany**

"So, this is it then, what caused all this?" the middle aged German asked looking over the large Gateway in the center of Berlin,all around, soldiers stood by, ready for anything that might come through to hard the fatherland, the man in question, Kasier Wilhelm II, Emperor of the German Empire, dressed in uniform cloak and _Pickelhaube_ , the leather helmet with spike famous with the Purssian Army and latter the German _Heer,_ he was quite the imposing figure.

"Yes sir,this is the...what was it the yanks are calling it? Oh yes, the "Doorway" the enemy troops attacked from" a larger man next to him said, he was dressed similar to the Kasier with facial hair of his own.

"So then" The Kasier said scratching his hair covered upper lip "We could send troops through to attack _them_ "?

"Well sir..." an Army aid moaned "We're not sure as of yet until- He was cut of by the larger man "Yes sir, i see no reason for the enemy to make it one way"

"But _heer_ Hindenburg..." the aid stuttered as the Kasier raised a hand "I'll trust one of the fatherlands best general on this matter Captain" he said waving his hand, the captain guessed this meant he was dismissed and saluted leaving. Next to the Kasier stood another, frailer man, Alfred von Schlieffen. The German Army's head officer in command.

"Sir, we have four regiments nearby but they are in need of rest after fighting for the last several days" Von Schlieffen added, he had gone to see them early and had found them a mess.

"Well then, ready the men Alfred" the Kasier said, using a first name basis in a way that Von Schlieffen knew everyone else, himself too, hated when he used.

"Yes sir, they should be ready in a months time"

Looking at his watch, more for effect then anything else, the Kasier closed it "Very well then, in one months time, we attack"! he said with flare, both men nodded, all ready planing the Army's next move...

* * *

 **Imperial Army Field Headquarters, Tokyo Japan**

A group of Officers spoke to each other, others looked over a map of the city, troops still fighting in some areas to clear out the few remnants of the enemy forces still remaining, but to almost all of the general staff, the city was clear of enemy forces.

"We crushed them" one proclaimed boasting about his unit's achievement, under his leadership of course.

"My troops fought well, killing over a hundred enemy troops"! another shouted as the third toasted victory with cries of " _Banzai"_ In the corner, the older form of General Maresuke sat, smoking.

"Fools, they boast over things that they have no reason too" he sighed, his aid, Hido Asukimi, nodded. "To lead men, when i was there age, meant to be at the front, not behind the line, it is not a disgraceful duty, but one for which one cannot boast of victory, for it was the men under him, the common soldier who won the day"

"I agree sir" Hido spat out with nervous regard, he was a field clerk, only his mathmatical skill getting him assighed to the General's staff, and to him he thought, the same applied, a man who's duty was to count, not fight.

Finishing his smoke, the general put it out quickly in an ashtray as he checked the time "Well then, come now, we'd best be on time to the planing off phase two" he said pulling Hido up, the general was speaking of the planed counter attack of the enemy nation, but, the plan was still in it's infancy if not in it's concepcion.

Walking out of the dinning area of one of Toyko's elite's home, the two soldiers walked up a set of stairs into a large ball room of sorts, it was filled with maps and men, all trying to speak over each other.

As the General Entered, everyone bowed in the presence of "The Hero of Tokyo" before them.

Clearing his throat,the General spoke "Well then, what do we have"?

Everyone was silent.

"I see" he said scratching his chin. "Ready the scouts, we'll be in need of maps of the place if we wish to attack it now won't we"? he asked, everyone nodded.

"Then get to it" he ordered before leaving. Hido trailed behind him, wondering if he was unlucky or lucky to be under the general's command...

* * *

 **Cuxhaven,German Coast**

Watching from off shore, Von Spee had a front row seat to the battle at hand. A Platoon of Marines and two dozen seamen from a landing party fought in the city to rid it off the Roman like foe.

 _"Germans fighting Romans...how ironic"_ He said in his mind as his days back at the naval academy, reading about the empire of Cesar fighting his ancestors, and now it was happening again, but the roles reversed.

"Sir, _Kapitänleutnant_ Yeager is requesting support, he wants us to fire on the town center" a young petty officer said pointing to a building on shore, two Marines on the roof, one, Yeager towering over the other, flashing a message at them with a lamp.

"What, why" the old seaman asked back,firing a 12 pound gun into the middle of a town wasn't something one did on only a whim.

"Sir, he says" the petty officer started saying looking through a spyglass "Big...Men...bad"

"What the hell does that even mean" Von Spee cursed, not only the Marine, but the damn Naval Lamp code, making simple things other then orders hard to understand.

"Uh... _Mein Gott..._ Sir, i think he mean that" he yelled as a large shape climbed the roof and swung a blugion at the two Germans, it struck the signelmen and sent him plumetting off the roof and slammed Yeager onto his back.

"Give that here" Von Spee yelled grabbing the Spyglass and getting a better look, the large thing had green skin and a bald head, it wore rags and armor and held Yeager in it's grasp, the man struggled in it's grip and even from here, the man could see the Mailous in it's blood red eyes.

...

Yeager Struggled in the brutes hands, both his arms pinned to his sides as the beast neared his face to it's own maw, breathing in hot breaths and opening wide.

" _It's going to eat me"!_ he realized and slammed his head forwards into it's nose with a loud _Crack._ The large thing howled in pain and dropped him as it grabbed at it's face, Yeager wasted no time, his rifle had been flung off the roof with Hans, so he pulled his Luger from his side and flipped the safety off and pulled the trigger, the hammer slammed in repeat as he emptied his side arm into the things face.

it fell backwards off the roof to the cobblestone lined streets bellow, standing up, he could see more in the town center, forming up to overrun his weary men, he waved his arms at the _Brandenburg_ hoping they would get the message.

As the cannons on board fired, he knew they did, the big guns smothered the horde in flames, sending them to back to hell were they belonged.

Turning back he gave the Ship and it's crew a crisp Salute before sliding down a gutter bolted to the side of the building to street level to rejoin is men in the battle which was far from won..

* * *

 **Fort Cornwallis, Penang Island** **Malaya**

Captain Arthur Maxwell sat up from his bed in suprise, not at awaking, but at the lack of chills from malaria, he stood up and placed his spectacles on his face , his legs not shaking at all, and strode outside to the parade grounds to see men of all manners, White or otherwise working to ready the garrison for service.

And he stood in the middle of it all, bare up to his waste.

"Maxwell old boy, good to see you beat your ailment then, well since we're going to need everyone for this" Colonel Rodes, the Garrisons head officer said slapping him on the back, due to man power issues, Rodes was the Highest ranking officer on Penang.

"We've been given word to raise as many of the local populous to arms as we can, under the crown off course" he added before yelling at two bare chested soldiers lifting an box of shot passing by, telling them to keep it upright less they wish to send the day picking it up from the ground with only two fingers.

"Well then sir, i'd suppose we should get right to it then" he said still dazed from the sudden turn of events in the last few minutes.

"Good then, because that's what you'll be doing, rounding up the recruits" he said with another slap on the back and a wave to a waiting horse and orders to return with three dozen men by nightfall.

Mounting the mare, he wiped the sweat from his brow and shook his head.

One minute your sick, the next your raising an army.

Grumbling to himself he rode off...


	4. Chapter 4 The Battle Begins!

**ATP: Well, let my answer that for you:**

 **On the idea of** **Apostles, i assume, like in the Anime and Manga, Rory will latch onto the Soldiers from our world, and serve alongside them in battle, after all, i don't think Emroy will back the losing horse in this race. Dragons well...Battleships, Dreadnoghts, Machineguns and Field Guns will meet that task well enough...**

 **Prisoners will be taken, as per the rules of war, but don't expect all men to be saints in battle. But slave labor is a bit too far, the US, England and France banned it after all, the Empires of Earth may use POWS as workers, but they will not be treated like dogs (Even the Japanese treated POWS well in their war with the Czar after all)**

 **And on the note of the Great War...well...We'll see as we head deeper into the war, all i'll say now is this, Europe won't ever be the same again.**

 **Apollonir: I will, but these take time to write, doing research, thinking up the plot and such, but i work on it often, it won't be forgotten, don't worry.**

 **L4 of the WEST:Thank you for the Sub, and this takes place on Earth Cria 1905, a time period that is one of my favorites in history, writing about it is something i enjoy and i'm glade you do too:)**

 **OhioPrince Wow...you made my day, i'm glade you and so many others are enjoying it, on the note of Colonel Pershing, to keep this story realistic, he won't be in charge of the US forces, another General (Perhaps Leonard Wood) will, but Pershing will be assighed to a unit and serve as a Colonel commanding a company.**

 **Lord-of-Change: Yes indeed, more countries shall enter the fray, and soon too, more kingdoms will be siding with the Empire! The battles now will be slightly less turkey shoots and more based on wits and cunning, if you think a better armed force can win no matter what, just ask the troops who fought at the** **Battle of Isandlwana.**

 **Derain von Harken: Well i'm sure the Armies of Earth will employ them as scouts and Mercenaries, Warrior Bunnys kick ass all round.**

 **Guest: Perhaps so, perhaps so...**

* * *

 _ **"I have never advocated war except as a means of peace"** _

_**-Ulysses S. Grant,**_

* * *

 **Tokyo, Japan, One Month Ago...**

The ranks of the legion marched forth through the streets, killing the few enemy troops that stood in their way. The sounds of war filled the air, but the wars of this world had long stopped sounding of blades stabbing into flesh and Arrows in flight but rather the boom of rifle shot and crack of big guns, but war, even using old world weapons, is war.

Bodies lay in the street in pools of blood, the few survivors, women mostly, who would soon enough be dealt a worse fate under the enemy soldiers then death by blade.

In the center of the Ginza District, a staff of Generals in gleaming armor spoke, trying to decide the next move to make. As if drawn by fate, a harsh cry road through the air and the ground shook as flames rocked them all, knocking many to their knees as screams of pain cut through the air all around.

One legionary stood up, where the Generals had once stood, only a crater was, a thick bloody chum and metal shards sat in the hole, all that remained of the high command of the Empires Army in the new world...

* * *

 **Tokyo, Japan, One Month Latter...**

Corporal Taki of the Imprial Japanese Army stood through the ranks of his company in camp with a smile, his eyes shaded by is cap. The man of twenty two had, in the past month, become a new person, the lowly private who had fought in the battle of Sagamihara, charged through the blood soaked fields under Fuji's shadow, and had retaken Tokyo, had earned his rank of Corporal, now was known to most of the men in the company as a soldier who followed orders and got things done.

He could get use to that.

Before him, the might of the Army of Japan stood, a force numbering almost 2000 men strong stood by, ready to pass into the depths of the enemy doorway to replay him for his attack. All this had been brought together in one months time, quite quickly as well, with many troops returning home from our fight with the Czar, we had no issue when man power can to question.

They were camped outside the city limits, the once bare grassy fields now home to an Army at rest on all sides for miles, the docks now belonged to the navy, with ever manner of ship, from Frighter Warship bobbing in the surf.

Elsewhere, the powers in Europe had also been attacked, even the Czar himself had his nation assaulted. Banded together, by what some had called Circemstaces, others divine intervention, all these nations would attack together side by side, allies in arms, each Army and Navy knew it's pat, in what little time they had to plan, they had agreed that much

 _"And know, the might of the our empire stands at the gates of hell, fighting with an enemy alongside shaken allies"_ he thought inside, he looked through the see of white uniform only to see something else, Kaki.

Among the legions of the Army of the Imperial Japan dressed in blue battle dress (The white Service uniform meant for parade, but worn before due to the dire need for troops at the time put aside for good), but another type of man stood by too.

English men.

Or at least, men in English garb, the faces were a mix of white, tan and even some black skins, he heard another man snicker to his comrade "Truly, the sun never sets over the British Empire" with a laugh. He found himself staring down a large set man with dark hair and dark complexion.

 _"_ _babi bodoh"_ he grunted at the shorter man holding up a fist matching the size and shape of a melon. The soldier stood his ground and glaired at the large fellow with eyes of anger.

Taki eyed the man and tapped the rank on his shoulder, slowly, he back away, his eyes saying what his mouth wouldn't.

Well England and Japan were Allies, the men fighting under both nations were not, the Japanese and the English's colony's recruits didn't see to often eye to eye. And these men often had such different backgrounds that know which ones were which was tough at times. The men, after so much time in camp training for hours, were begging almost to fight, Taki guessed many of them were new recruits who didn't understand what the real fighting would be like if they begged for it.

Moving on, he checked up on the rest of the company, those who had fought in the first battles and lived had formed a bond with one another, and now, in the hours before the next fight, he wanted to see them one more time.

Because, knew soon enough, they might be gone.

* * *

 **Berlin, German Army Head Quarters**

Sipping from his glass, Von Spee couldn't help but smile at the taste of true brandy, not the cheap knock off he had often been forced to buy at port, but the real thing, vintage 1880 too, after all, at a meeting with the Kasier, one would expect only the best the Empire could afford.

In the background, a Graphophone played a rendition of Wagner, even with the skip here or there, it set the mode well. Across from the naval officer, the bright smile of the leader of a vast nation looked back at him.

"So then Captain" the man started to say, placing his half empty glass down on a table lying between the two men "I'm told that you and your crew, alone, saved Coxhaven, is that right"?

Von Spee recalled the day well, the smell of smoke and powder in the air, the flames rising from the city as rifle fire cracked from the shore, and those... _beasts_ the enemy had brought with them still vivid in his mind, even a month later.

"Yes sir, but the honor of the deed belongs to the crew of the _B_ _randenburg_ , not just myself" he said taking another sip of the his drink, savoring the taste on his lips as his mouth cracked into a small smile.

"My captain, your too modest,i was an officer in the First Regiment of Foot Guards after all, i know how much a good leader can do to win a battle"

This made the seaman smile, as far as he knew, the Kasier had yet to see "battle" for himself,a parade or training manuver did not warrent "Battle in his mind, but he quickly subdued such thoughts as he remembered this was his leader his was thinking about.

"Sir, if i may ask, why was i called here? I don't think it's simply for a pat on the back is it"?

The Kasier smiled "A clever one even on land i can see Captain, yes your right, you see, recently, the Navy has been working on something, and i feel like you should see it" he said taking a rolled up slab of paper from a bag near his chair, placing it on the table, he on rolled it to reveal a blueprint of a sleek and slim looking vessel with a tower on it's top, a single hole emerged from the front.

"Is that a-"? he began to ask as the Kasier raised a hand "Indeed, a submersible ship, the idea has been floating around the Navy since the Americans lauched their own back in 1900, rather then buy one as they did however, we built our own" he smiled taking another sip of his drink.

"Well this is ample news, why tell me? After all, i'm a warship captain after all"

The leader smiled "Well Captain, given your status, i'd like to make you an offer, if you accept it, you'll be the captain of U-1, the hero of Coxhaven healming the Navy's latest vessel, it will surly rally the public to our cause"

The Sailor only smiled taking another sip from his glass.

* * *

 **Washington DC, US Army Billets**

"Okay now, if ya'll get into any trouble in town, your black ass is gonna burn, want my advice, stay here and play cards with your old pale Slim huh"? the skinny black man smiled as a gaggle of Cavalrymen as they left for a night on the town, almost overnight, the nation's capital had become an armed camp, soldiers, sailors and marines wandered the streets looking for a good time, and the night life including woman of ill respute we're more then happy to lend a soldier a hand when looking for a few lewd hours of pleasure.

This made David Clark smiled, the officer sitting in the corner of the tent reading over a report from command, he recalled his younger days as a corporal when he could get into such messes with the men fondly.

But being an officer meant he couldn't get be bothered to do such things anymore, besides, the 10th was on alert that they should be ready to deploy within three hours, if the call came down, the "Doorway" as the newspapers named it, was within minutes from the billets, and wrath of the Army would be brought to bear if needed within an hours time.

Offshore the Navy had a blockade set up, and had a fleet ready to cross through the doorway at anytime.

"You know Clark, sometimes i wonder why we're here"? he heard Slim ask. Clark smiled "Never thought you the type to ask that sort of thing"

"No no, not in a "Is god real" way, i mean fighting for a country that doesn't treat us the same just because my skin is a diffrent color, for fuck sake, it took em long enough to give us "Upity Negroes" guns, how long before we get a black congressman? Or even a President"?

Clark smiled more slyly "I'd say about a 100 years from now or so"

"Shit, like that'll ever happen, best not dwell on it, right now i'm just wondering how long until we deploy"?

Slim tossed him a newspaper, it showed a grainy photo of the president and Kasier Wilhelm shaking hands. "Were in bed with a few other pissed off countries now, and best i can tell, we go when they go, dig me" he smiled again, the other nations attacked had banded together, old rivalry's were forgone for a new one, the world vs whoever the hell was on the otherside of the door.

"And last i heard, the Russians said fuck it" Slim cursed "They're King-"

"Czar" Clark Corrected him. He waved a finger "Their "Czar" said he ain't got an Army to send after the Chinamen-

"Japanese" the lieutenant corrected once again.

"The point is, he said no and cried a river, so were down a horse in this race" Slim smiled showing a pair of white teeth in a rather crocked smile.

Slim stood up and smiled before leaving "Might as well try to catch a bit of sleep tonight huh now LT, be seeing ya". Leaving him alone, he thought over what had happened over the last month, his nation attacked and thrown into war for the second time in his service, and by an enemy so...different then any before.

"Whoever they are" he said to himself as rifle fire dinned behind him at the range "They fucked with the wrong country"

* * *

 **Imperial Captial**

"We have challenged the wrong enemy father" Princess Pina Co Lada said on her knees before her father in his throne room. The leader of the empire sat before her in his chair, his face written up calmly, he had seen his empire face trouble before, and he would not quake now because of it.

"What makes you say such a thing my daughter"? he asked, his voice cold.

"Reports from the expeditionary legions seem to show our forces being out matched. The enemy soldiers faced us down with weapons beyond our own troop's abilities in battle" the knight stated, plainly recalling the words of Aquila of the troops that had returned, battered armor with holes punched through it, some with cuts across their bare skin deep with metal shards, hot from the magic that cast them forth searing the skin to a black shade.

She told him this, his face did not change from it's calm demeanor "Pina, if such a power is used, then these Kingdoms must have much at stake in it's army for such powers to be posses, if so, then we must kill all who come through the Gateway on Alnus before they can grasp at our lands soils, they will recall their troops after realizing they cannot gain a solid hold, the same tactic one would use to deter an invasion by sea of ones shores, once they loss a good stock of troops, they will be forced to leave us be.

"But for how long"? she asked.

"For as long until the time they come to the truth, that they cannot best the Empire that spands across the reaches of Falmare, the Barbarians of the North Couldn't seventy years ago, the combined Vassal states couldn't forty years ago, and nor shall these fools now" a smile crept across his face with the last word, as did Pina's calm face as she realized how right he was, she had seen Alnus, the might of a quarter of the Empires Army, almost ten entire legions stood before them, 65,000 men strong, and they would hold for their homeland until death steals the life from their very bodies.

"Pina, if your so concerned, perhaps your order should look into this deeper"

This caught Pina's full attention, from day one, her knights had been used as "Honor" Guards, taken from the legions oldest pushed out of it's ranks, and the daughters of many of the empires rich who wanted something more then an "Easy" life. It had been mocked as a" little girls playing soldier club" for far too long among the ranks of the Empire's higher classes.

Now she could prove them wrong.

Smiling she nodded "Yes father, we would be happy to do so" she said with an eager tone in her voice. Standing her father asked her to rise, placing a hand on her metal claden shoulder he smiled "Pina, i trust you" he said with a smile. She felt a tear in the corner of her eye and smiled with a sharp node.

"I will not fail you father" she said before turning on her heals and leaving, her dark crimson hair flowing behind her like a flaming blaze in the wind.

The aging ruler felt a smile creep across his face as his daughter left...

* * *

 **Alnus Plains**

The imposing frame of a six by five dark haired centurion in the armor of his trade was enough to send even the most stern Legionary to his heels up straight as a newly crafted spear shaft.

Aquila was well known for his strictness, every man in his 80 Legionary detachment had to be in tip top shape, armor clean, sword gleaming, as if every day was a parade march. He kept his men as he kept himself, fine and clean and most of all, a model soldier.

His _Gladius_ strung to his hip, he looked over his men, all within arms reach of their blades, read at a moments notice to repel the enemy. But at the moment, a more "Pressing" matter needed his aid and presence. Walking through the mass of tents, to most it would seem to most a maze, but like every other camp Aquila had ever been billeted in, all contained the same layout, Empire Military Doctrine at it's finest.

He stopped short of his destination, a large tent with royal markings, the entrance flanked by two elite Praetorian guardsmen in gleaming segmented plate armor, both carried swords and shields at the ready.

As he approached both nodded at him and saluted him with raised arms "Aye" both said, he returned it "Aye" and walked through the flap to the inside, dimly lit by torch light. In the middle of the tent, a large table sat, before it the Legion's commander, the man each and everyone knew by the name "The Dragon of the North" for his service during the War with the Vassal States some 30 years before and only a year prior during the battles on the plains against the Warrior Bunny tribes.

"Good to see your still well my son" the Dragon smiled.

"Aye Mathis" Aquila smiled using the commanders birth name, Jonnatha Mathis was indeed the most feared Legion head in all the Empire, the 1st Legion, his own troops, some of the finest in the Empires service, his men hadn't had any part in the invasion, and from what he'd heard, he was happy for it.

"We didn't give full heed to this fight" he said sitting, the Centurion likewise following his lead "We shouldn't have chosen a foe we knew so little about, and now we have no choice but to fight" he ended his sentence raising a fist into the air before slamming it back onto the table shaking the wooden frame under his powerful strike.

At the moment, the 1st Legion sat on it's rear, guarding the the Alnus Plains, above them sat the seven hills of Alnus, each with a Gate atop it. The Hills were set in an Arch, like a large bow, with small Ridges intertwine between them. The enemy would hold the high ground in this fight, already things were disfavoring the empire in the event of an attack.

"Commander, if i may ask, how do you intend to defend against the enemy from where we are now"?

"Simple" Mathis answered "We will wipe them out, our Footmen advancing under screening from our Archers and the Cavelry guarding the flanks, we will overwealm them"

Aqulia had seen the results of such thinking, the armor they that had it's front plates shot out, as if a dragon had stuck his claws through it. He didn't think Mathis's plan would work, but, they didn't have much more to go on, and attacking back through the Gate wouldn't be a Viable option. And the few sharpend wood spears they'ed blocked the hill top with wouldn't stop half a cohort, let alone an entire army on the attack.

"It is to be expected that we may be thrown back, what shall we do then"? he asked Mathis, the leaders eyes gleamed more then his shined armor with thoughts of battle "We have a fortified rear guard, ready in any such case, half the Legion's archer are set in the rear, along with our pikemen and Ballistas, ready to make the enemy pay even if he can overcome us in open battle" he bellowed proudly.

Aqulia smiled, there was a reason he'd earned the name "Dragon of the North" he was always ready in battle. And perhaps, they could pull this off.

Getting up, he saluted him with a raised arm and left out the tent flap, past the two guards and headed back to his men.

 _Just maybe we can do this..._ he thought to himself again.

* * *

 **Washington DC**

Lt Clark's face, like all his men, was blank as they rode through the streets, up Pennsylvania avenue in file on their horses, there blue uniforms bright back memories of another group of black troops who headed the parade in morning for the late president of the Union in 1865, other troops would have complained that the rest of the Army had been given the newer 1906 Pattern Uniform, but to Clark, it was a sign of all they had to live up too for their brothers of color.

Behind him, Slim cracked a joke, causing a few troops to laugh, he hissed at them to stop, asking if they were better then a mules hindquarters, they hushed up as he gave another command "Face, left" he ordered, every man turned his head to gaze up at a small stage, on it sat a man standing errect, his copper specticals and facial hair was something almost any American could recognize in an instant, the face of their President, Theodore Roosevelt. He glanced at them nodding in aproval.

"Bully Marching boys, Bully Indeed" he yelled cupping his hands around his mouth, the Colonel at the Calvary Columms head smiled at him, Lt Clark nodded back before ordering his Platoon again "Face, Front" causing dozens of heads to snap back facing forwards.

All had been set, they were moving out to the ready areas, from there, only a short time until the attack would begin, the agreement said all nations would attack at once, to overpower the enemy on the other side quickly.

The clomping of horse's feet gave Clark an odd at ease feeling, something odd to get before combat. Perhaps, after years of Army life, it was something he was use to, and after seeing hell rain from Kettle Pot hill in Cuba in ""98" and again in "02" fighting in the Philippines against jungle fighting troops. But now...he'd be going somewhere else, somewhere no one on this Earth had ever been before.

Another World. One that soon enough, would become a battleground blazed in blood and glory.

The Long row of soldiers marched on, towards the Doorway, the large ark sitting across the National Mall opposite the Washington Monument, right at the foot of the steps of Lincoln's Legacy.

He recalled his grandfathers stories about the man, his struggle to free those enslaved across American lands, and now under his watchful eyes, they would go to war. In front of the large archway, an Officer with more stars on his shoulders then in the sky stood eyes wide glued to his pocket watch, golden and shining in the sun.

"We're attacking at 11:00 AM on the spot" the man said nodding at an officer ahead of them in another Cavalry Company, the Commander on Horseback wore a light colored Campaign Hat. Clark swore he knew the Officer from somewhere, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.

...

Colonel Pershing nodded at the dismounted Scouting officer for answering his question. His stomach was full, his weapon, a Krag–Jørgensen rifle shortened to make it easy to handle in combat from the back of a horse. The newer Springfield rifles were far to unwieldy for such work. It was, as he had checked twice, clean and loaded. Whatever the feeling was, he didn't know where it had come from. Perhaps just old combat nerves returning after being so inactive.

But he was just happy to be in a combat unit again, he'd been reassighed to the 7th Cavalry two weeks before, and now he had his own Company to command in combat, his first time leading men since Philippines, and he was lucky, many officers were given units of nothing but reservists, who hadn't fired a rifle in months if at all!

The Nation hadn't been ready for war, the Army's doubling in size during the war with Spain hadn't been enough, not even 4000 men had been assembled for the battle at hand, what little scouting information they had said only a range of hills and open vallys awaited them.

Perfect Horse Soldier Country.

As if to russ him from his thoughts, the officer waved a flag, behind him, a bugleman sounded off. It was time.

"Company, ready" he yelled, the officers under him echoing his words. The Infantry Companies ahead of them marched forwards into the large archway, the horse troopers close behind. Passing through the arch, the world seemed to...become mute, dark minus the lanterns that had been placed at 15 foot intervals, the darkness seemed endless, like a sea of night, the horse whined as they passed into the tunnel, he patted her on the head trying to calm her "Easy now, it'll be fine"

"What the hell is this"? a mounted Private behind him asked, shaking his head at the darkness. Others agreed with him adding their own thoughts.

"It's the road to victory" Pershing said in a stern tone causing the mummering to silence. Although new to the 7th, he was respected. Ahead, a shard of light cut through the tunnel, as if god himself was painting the way for them.

"Get Ready to Spread out"! Pershing called as the opening neared. All at once, the world opened up, they were standing on a large hill, the night in the sky strewn with stars across an almost ocean blue night sky, open valley lay ahead, fires burning in pairs well over 1000 in small camps, beside they're hill, another with it's own gate butted against a mountain sat, troops moving out of it and into cover. he couldn't tell what flag they were under from sight, but he'd been told the English were left of the US troops.(The Germans to the right)

Reining his mount to a halt, he took charge "All right, form up now"! he called into the night "Be ready to advance at my order"! Behind them, the Infantry were beginning to dig in, taking cover behind rocks and officers shouting off orders into the air, farther off orders in other languages sailed by, everyone was getting ready for the coming battle.

Riding up beside him, another cavalrymen began speaking to him "Sir, my company is all the way through, whenever your ready, we can charge the enemy lines to soften them up for the boots"

Pershing nodded at him, "Good then, we'll advance on when charge plays" he said referring to the bugle call of attack, the Cav trooper racked his hand in salute and said he'd pass it on to his company commander as he rode away. Rallying his men, Pershing readied them, the Infantry forming up to repel any counter attack. And ahead, ranks of armored troops were forming to counter them.

In the Moonlight,as his troops formed behind him, a young bugler looked at the Colonel with eyes wide, he nodded at him, and the lad put the brass to his lips and blew.

"CHARGE" Pershing cried, the night silence being broken by screams of battle, some wild yips, others rebel yells. _"The Army always will have some lingering Rebs in it"_ he thought, pulling his cavalry saber from it's scabbard and whipped it up, kicking a stirrup into his mounts side, the animal ran forwards, the cries of his fellow pony troops making it run all the faster.

He chose his first target, an enemy soldier with a plum on his helmet, an officer, swinging his sword in an arc, he caught him in the chin, a sound like a pumpkin being smashed, the man's helmet went flying alongside a blur of red. Pulling his Colt M1892 (The Army had phased out the Single Action Army in the early 1890s) from his hip, he fired it as he passed through the dispersing masses of enemy troops, hearing a _clang_ as his his 38. rounds pierced the breastplate of an unlucky foe.

Behind him, more screams told him his men had the same luck as him, the leading enemy forces were being routed, rifle fire from the top of the hill was picking off the few stragglers who dared advance further. Reaching the base of the hill, Pershing turned his head back, seeing a mass of bodies in armor strewn about the hillside, reminding him of bedroom battles with wooden soldiers as a boy.

 _"But this isn't play, this is real war"_ he told himself shaking the thought away, this wasn't a game, a dead man stayed dead here, and if he kept his mind in the past.

* * *

 **Unknown Ocean, other world**

Through the sleak morning fog, the form of a massive ship came sailing through the Gate, this ship though, had not a sail nor open deck, rather she was covered in armor like a man! To a world of wood and sail, she was a monster akin to the worst of Emloy's demonic hordes.

...

As the Imperial Navy Armored Crusier _Nisshin_ sailed into the new world as the Van guard of the Imperial Navy, a young seamen at at his post glanced eyes wide at the new world. He'd seen war at sea before, and now again, in service of the Emperor he would fight.

As they moved clear of the Doorway, he noticed off both sides of the ship, more doorways, set in a line, although he only counted twp others. But his vision shifted as the fog lifted, revealing an enemy grouping of ships, large wooden vessels with heavy set bows , the sides mounting what he assumed were Ballistas. two on each side.

The _Nisshin_ turned to port, ready to meet them, her twin 20.3 cm Cannons fired in a deafening roar, sending up pillars of water and wood as they struck, two enemy ships were hit, disappearing under the waves as the guns picked new prey. her smaller six inch guns not wanting to be left out, fired as well, the enemy returned fire, large steel tipped arrows striking the ship, but doing little damage to the _Nisshin_ 's 40mm armor.

The Young seaman, watched it all from his station on the deck, the captain keeping his mood like the inner sea, calmly giving orders dispite the heat of battle. But his vice cracked as a flaming bolt zipped past, the "Romans" knew the same as anyone what a fire at sea was like, as did the captain, a nightmare.

"All Arms fire on the flame bearing craft" he ordered, the guns increasing they're firing two fold. But even so, the enemy 'fire" was still getting through, packed with oil, the fears began burning the woodworks on board the ship. The damage control teams couldn't keep up with it, fire all around, it looked as though Japan would lose a ship for the first time since the Czar's War.

But then, as if called upon by the Gods, the swarm of arrows halted. And out of the mist of battle, a heavy framed metal monster that dwarfed even the _Nisshin_ came into view.

The USS _Ohio._

A gleaming city of steel flying a flag bearing 45 stars, her four 12 inch guns fired in tandem, routing the enemy's sea advance, she turned parallel to the _Nisshin_ , both ships smaller weapons getting their own moment to shine, both vessels began to push the attack, sailing forward and catching anything in between with gunfire, creating what would be called by some, a watery hell.

Flames danced upon the wooden forms of once proud ships, men screamed for aid to no avail, the water was ripped into by machine gun and rifle fire. The sea turned a blood red as warships sank under the vast firepower thrown at them. Taken by surprise, the enemy ships are caught in between two floating gun batteries, a deadly spot.

The few still floating Enemy craft made a hasty withdraw, orders to not stop until they struck land. Behind them, both ships held they're fire, no reason to waste shells on a beaten foe.

Both shipped sounded they're horns to a ring of cheers in Japanese and English. After a few minutes of flag waving, the two ships moved side by side, and a gang plank was settled,a small band of American Sailors moved across, the Captain at they're helm

"Permission to come aboard"? he asked, his opposite number aboard the _Nisshin,_ the Japanese captain in white uniform bowed politely as both thank each other for the aid in battle. Behind them, a few sailors of both Navies speak to each other, the barrier of lack of common language doesn't stop them from shaking hands.

The young seaman felt a tap on the shoulder, he turned to see an American Sailor, smiling at him, the man's hair like a bushel of plants the color of chestnuts. He held out a hand, the Japanese seaman was familiar with the western gesture, and took his hand, giving it a decent shake.

"...I...Speak a bit of Japanese" the American said in a heavily butchered version of his comrades native tongue making the Japanese man smile.

"You fought well" he said with a bow "your Ancestors have reason to be proud of that" he complemented.

"Thank you" the Yankee said again, holding out a hand once more.

"I'm Chester, Chester Nimitz" he smirked. Not being one to be updone, the Japanese returned the handshake, his two missing fingers, a gift from a Russian shell, didn't effect his grip.

"Yamamoto Isoroku, and may our two nations forever remain friends" he smiled showing white teeth. Behind them, the sun began to rise as the dawn of a new war began to take form across a new world...


	5. Chapter 5 The Battle Ends!

**TwilightScarlet : I'll see about that, i'm ignorant of the early 1900s Russian Military minus the Russo-Japanese War, so some reading will be do:)**

 **lordkalel: Many of the Magical and Fantasy aspects will clash with the "Modern" World, just you wait! To quote another writer:**

 **"THE DRAGONS WILL BE HERE SOON"-George R.R. M** **artin**

 **coronadomontes: Gracias Señor, Espero que su disfrutando de la historia hasta ahora.**

 **OhioPrince: Neither can i.**

 **cruailsama: Yes Thank you**

 **Generalfeldmarschall: I once read that both men joined the Navy in the early 1900s, and i wanted to write them meeting for some time, i've kept the name because a good deal of people(Myself included) don't know about his birth name.**

 **ATP: Right, the Machinegun was made with that idea in mind, perfect for colonial wars against less advanced foes, but tanks and aircraft aren't a big thing, tanks came after two years of stalemated warfare in trenches, not the type of war being fought here, and the Airplane was a new invention in 1905, and a secret one at that, they Wright brothers wouldn't go public with it until 1909 when they pattened it.**

 **J.E.P 1996: Again, not a naval buff, my mistake, but on the issue of "" marks, i tend to do them that way, it's my style...**

* * *

 _ **There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare**_

 _ **-Sun Tzu**_

* * *

 **Washington DC**

The quickly built stage creaked a bit as the President walked broadly on it's wooden planks. Off to the side, a military band played " _Hail to the Cheif_ " The crowd before him cheered as he stood erect before them, adjusting his glasses, he put on his best "leader" face and bellowed

"Even now, the forces of the civilized world march on, to teach the brutish foes who dared attack us a lesson they shall never forget, because the forces of our Nation and every Nation shall teach them so! A great man once said when asked on matters of war for our nation.

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants"

Thomas Jefferson, a founding father said that, and never has it been more true, because we will not let it be so, that the dead had died in vain, because we will avenge them, because "that a government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth" no matter the bullying or demands of a hostile power!"

He was meet with a tumult of applause, clapping and even screams of patriotic fever., he smiled, shaking the hands that reached up for his stone grasp. He took it in stride, like he always did. He spied the faces contorted in a grimace from several men in the crowned, the secret service was always getting it's knickers in a bunch when he did this sort of thing, if they had their way, ever future national leader would be kept as far from the public as he could be behind bulletproof glass and darkend windows!

Walking back down the stairs at the side of the stage, he waved to the crowed again. It killed him, to be stuck in the white house well a war was on, but the country needed him more then the war did. Walking back to his car, the secret service refused to let him use a carriage anymore, he took the back seat and barked at the driver

"Department of War Building if you would" he said as the black Model T sped down the street...

* * *

 **New World**

Arthur Maxwell winced as a blood curling scream sounded off in the distance, the cry for "Mother" was in accented English that followed the _thack_ of an arrow hitting flesh.

 _"One of my men"_ he sighed inside, they had raised an Army made up of throwaways from across the Commonwealths, Malays, New Zealanders, Indians and such, a rag tag band dressed in royal red uniforms most available in that part of the world. Made up of a half dozen different races, what had to be a dozen places, from India to Canada and in between, they had made and Army. Thus the "King's Own" had gone to battle, and Maxwell was finding quickly that war held little honor or nobility to itself.

His Unit was one of several holding the top of the hill from an enemy counterattack, the Japanese hadn't wanted foreigners to take they're honor in battle. It was fine to him, the melee happening sounded dirty enough, no reason to add to the fray. Until more men could come through, they were to hold this hill.

He knew many name, getting to know them on the voyage to Japan, and they huddled with him in the night air, the cracking of battle all around.

Around him, other English troops fired down upon those few enemy troops who managed to get through the battle bellow them. The cracking of Enfields against metal armor rang into the night. The flashes of guns making him blink, his eyes trying to adjust to the flashes in the night. Overhead, a red flare drifted, casting the battlefield in a hellish crimson light.

He watched a Japanese soldier bayonet a dying Roman, the mans face full of pain and horror in the red light. Another Soldier fell, an arrow stuck in his chest. Even from so far, Maxwell could see the blood trickle from his lips. The Stench of blood and death all around, he looked at his men, the Platoon he'd been assighed, behind them, the rest of the Regiment was coming through the doorway.

He felt several dozen pairs of eyes looking at him, questioning him with an unspoken question.

 _"My men need me to be brave"_ he thought to himself, he couldn't let fear best him, not now. Taking a deep breath, he stood up, an arrow sailed by, but he wasn't hit.

"Men, tonight, we will dine in the halls of victory, or the pages of defeat, but...let us dine as one" and with a sharp _snap_ he pulled his officers saber from it's place at his hip, his revolver in his open hand, and waved them forwards "For King in country lads, over the top! he yelled. The troops behind followed his cry, bayonets fixed, they charged into the annals of history...

...

* * *

 **Tokyo Japan**

General Nogi remembered a quote from the Great German General. Fredrick the Great _"_ _Artillery adds dignity, to what would otherwise be an ugly brawl"_

Nearby, an Artillery piece was hauled forwards into the large gateway by a team of horses. He knew that Fredrick had been fighting an evenly armed enemy when he said that, not one several century's lesser then his forces, and his own outmatched them further so. Another quote came to mine as he thought of how outmatched his foe was.

" _God Fights on the side with the best Artillery"_ the great Emperor Napoleon had said that. Nogi knew the gods were on their side today, the brutal attack by this...Empire, and the few Prisoners they'd taken had called it in broken learned Japanese. One Empire against another, truly a battle set by the divine ones to test them, although the choice of enemy seemed rather odd.

No matter though, they'd attacked his home, and his job was to lead the attack against the enemies. But he was stuck in Tokyo until the other side of the Doorway had been taken, as much as he wanted to fight, it would do his troops little good to have their general bleeding to death in the dirt, an arrow in his chest.

So he paced back and forth, watching troops movement through the large archway, and waited. The General's aid watched this with a bitter smile on his face. He had heard that Nogi cared for his men deeply, and now knew it was no rumor.

"General sir, perhaps we should place our mind's thoughts elsewhere for now, nothing can be done until the fighting lowers, so we are meerly wasting time if we wait like this" Hido said, the General looked at him, and frowned,

"I see your logic, nothing can be done for now, i guess we should look over the men then, see what we have to throw at the enemy" he said walking down the line of troops preparing to charge forth through into the new world...

...

Corporal Taki smiled. His bayonet shined in the moonlight in its open scabbard on his clean uniform devoid of lint, his rifle strapped to his back. He looked the part of a soldier, and he'd seen battle, the other half, the new corporal's insignia on his shoulder, he felt the part too well. Behind him, a private opened his mouth

"Why do we have to begin this at night"? he moaned.

"Because Jiro you _baka_ " he sighed at the stupidity of the question "Our mighty _Gaijin_ allies are on the other side of the world, it's daytime in Europe, sometimes you people can be _aho"_ he added, insulting the private's (And most of the squads lower ranks's) farm hand backgrounds. The men under him would resent him for that, but what man of higher rank was loved by his charges?

Ahead a hushing of small talk in the ranks took place, a rare occurrence among infantrymen that could mean only a single thing.

"Officer ahead, faces front, silence in the ranks!" he heard a sergeant call out. The men grew stiff quickly as did he, no one wanted a thrashing out from an officer, worse for an enlisted man of higher rank, chewing out a corporal in front of privates was an embarrassment above all others.

Ahead, the form of two officers was approaching, walking down the rows of Infantrymen. One looked rather familiar to him.

"Aww Private, no i'm sorry, Corporal Taki! Good to see you again, " General Nogi said smiling, Taki held a small smirk off his face.

"Yes sir" he answered sternly.

"Well, good luck then son, may the gods look after you in battle" he said walking further down the line. Taki's breathed freely. He looked up to the man,but he still held himself around higher ups. Getting noticed more often then not didn't end well for enlisted men in the Imperial Army. He so far seemed to be getting a better place because of it, but he didn't wish to push his luck much further.

"We will be with the second wave, but not to worry men, much honor is still to be gained" Lieutenant Akabi cried as they handed out meager plates of rice to the troops. A last meal for some for sure. He felt the weight of his rifle on his shoulder, the same rifle he'd had since Tokyo, the month prior, so much had changed since then,so much had been learned, another world had been found for godsakes!

But he still had the same rifle, same chipped stock, metal bolt action and same familiar shape and size, he found it funny that's what he recalled so well, his weapon's faults and details, the things a man recalls on the eve of what could be his death he supposed. The Life of a soldier wasn't for the faint of heart.

He smiled a bit, to most it would be normal, a chance to gain honor is a joyful day, but inside, he knew it was because of wit, not will to fight. And he promised himself then and there, if he made it out of this war, he'd be sure to use that wit.

* * *

 **Alnus Plains, Legion Encampment**

The sounds of battle awoke Aquila from his slumber. The officer sprang from his bed, grabbing his short sword sitting nearby, and quickly put his armor on, silently praying he wouldn't get stabbed in the back as he did so. Running out of his tent, e heard the sharp cracking of the enemy's weapons, he'd tried to learn all he could from survivors of the failed invasion.

He'd know for fat to long this day...he glanced upwards at the sky...this night would come! The battle had begun, and now he was needed with his men at once to defend against the enemy! Moving with haste, he began yelling "Up men, up now, battle is upon us" waking the troops camped around him, rousing them from their tents, shouts rang out quickly, men began to assemble in their armor before their officers.

" We drilled for this day, get to your positions now! I'll find Mathis"! he shouted running towards the general's tent at a quick pace, his armor shaking and jingling as he did so. turning a corner, he spotted the tent, a unit of eight Praetorian Guard stood ready in full armor, swords out and shield raised and ready. In spite of the battle raging at the front, they let him through, he nodded, noting how intelligence it was to put the best troops _to the rear of a battle_.

"In case of breakthrough" sounded like defeatism to him, but he pushed such thoughts away, he had other things to mind over now. He found the General leaning over a table covered in maps of the region silently looking them over, making plans to counter the enemy's movements.

"...If we move our forces here to counter...ah your here now my boy" he smiled slightly as he spotted Aquila from the corner of his eye.

"Yes general, the enemy had arrived, from what my men have told my from word of mouth, they are assaulting us from all hills but one, and they are placing more troops into the battle as we speak" he explained, having heard what he could from messengers heading to the rear for orders.

"I'm aware of that" the General said calmly, a tone more bitter then a dragons mood ending his voice. He plotted a point of a map with a blunt coal, marking it with a black mark and handed it to an aid, the man nodded running out of the tent.

"The why are we not executing an assault against the enemy then"? he asked, breathing deeply. The general looked up from his maps at the legionary officer.

"If you recall, we're fighting an enemy that poses weapons far greater then our own, we need to allow them to make their first move, and then crush them swiftly. We have the advantage of knowing the battlefield, we must use it"! he shouted. A sharp cracking began again in the distance, followed with the soft stomp of advancing troops.

"Right then" he nodded "I'll go with the orders we discussed, push forwards and cut them off from one another on the ridge lines" he said sternly turning to walk out of the tent. The general turned and quickly shouted "Good luck, may the gods favor you in battle". He sighed, he was starting to grow found of that boy, he reminded him of...himself.

* * *

 **The top of American Hill, Alnus**

"Colonel Pershing sir" a young infantrymen yelled running up to the colonel, mounted on his horse, his eye pressed to his binoculars . He watched bellow as infantry advanced towards armored warriors, the bright flashes of rifle fire in the night cutting some down, others charging forwards, and hacking their blades into the green clad troops. He had found this war could be less one sided then he'd first thought, at least in a man on man fight.

Ajusting his view, a large lumbering green...troll... smashed a massive club into the masses of riflemen, having charged forwards under a hail of rifle fire.

 _But not all our foes are men_ he thought with solemn. Before it could do more damage to the ranks, a hail of fire ripped it down, cutting it's top mass into a bloody pulp, the distinctive cranking of a Gatling Gun met his ears, several had been set up on the over looking hill, giving fire support as needed. He'd seen enough on Kettle Hill to know how well the Gatling worked at providing withering fire for troops to advance under.

"Once the infantry break through, we'll charge the the retreating enemy" he said calmly, putting his field glasses away. Hefting his rifle out of his saddle, he took it in both hands "Well men, it's time we "Civilize Them with a Krag" he smiled slightly. The other horse soldiers milling on their mounts nearby smiled, ready for a charge...

* * *

 **The base of Alnus Hill**

Shield held in hand, the young Legionary marched forward briskly with the rest of his company, ahead, the sharp crack of the enemy's weapons and the clang of metal grew from a steady sound in the distance to an assault upon their ears.

"Form Rank, Shields front" came a shrill cry from ahead, the troops followed the order, the front rank holding it's shields level, only their helmets over them. the back ranks teased up, spears ready. The scarlet capes on every man's back seemed to merge, the front ranking now looking like one organism, one meant for war, one meant for killing.

Above them, as they gained a better view of the fighting further up the hill, the young man saw a banner flying in the wind, it held a red ball in the center of a white cloth, blood red streaks jutting out in from it's body. The enemy was also now in view, in a line not to different from their own, but with more spacing, they wore dark blue, with cloth caps on their heads, those strange but powerful weapons held in their grip. Each flash sent cracks through the air ahead, and more often then not, Death.

"Archers! Prepare"! can another harsh scream, behind the ranks of swords and Spears, a line of archers stood by, a tactic that had won the Plains War against the Tribes of Bunny Warriors, they could fight well in close combat, and as expert bowmen, but not parry at _both_ at once!

"Ranks ready"!

He winced, winding himself up, sword at his side, ready, shield held before him...

"Archers! FIRE! RANKS FORWARD, GIVE THEM THE EMPIRES MIGHT"!

It was as if a wave of anger surged forwards, overhead the wiz of arrows caught his ears, and a wall of metal was met with a swarm of bullets, some killing at once, others traveling through armor and shields, slower wounds that might kill, but not before some of the "Dead" took their enemy with them. Screams raged as the well formed ranks turned into a mod of death, charging the blue coated troops.

Swords swept into men, staffs of thunder crashed at point blank range, the flash blinding men in such close proximity, a bladed staff flashed in the moonlight, blood splashing in it's wake as it cut into a man's face, his armor worthless to him now. The young soldier, felt no fear in the heat of combat, the sounds of blades on flesh, metal on metal ringing out. He caught the form of a blue coat in his vision, to his left the man stood, swinging his staff like a club, his cap sitting on his head ajar. The Soldier of the Empire dashed towards hum, sword pointed out, stabbing him through his stomach, pressing the blade in deep and twisting, the man's face was a mix of pain, and uncaring as death crept into his body.

Pulling the blade free, he was knocked onto his back as something pinged off his shoulder armor, cracking the metal and cutting his face with shards of iron. He felt warmth crawl down his left cheek, a brash cut across it that still stung like a Hardy's Dominion. The Line of enemy soldiers had broken into a deadly Melee of blades and shouting. But this type of warfare was what the Empire excelled at, and they out numbered the enemy in this skirmish three bodies for every one enemy. The Blue coats broke back, retreating back towards the top of the hill, yelling ahead in their strange talk.

"NOW!" shouted another Officer, different from before, "Give chance, let us show them no quarter"! The men roared in agreement, armor and swords gleaming in the blood of their enemies, they charged after the Blue clad soldiers. The Young Legionary grinned like someone taken by the madness of Emloy, and screamed a war cry, running as fast as his legs would let him.

The Blue coats crossed a small rock cropping, and disappeared behind it. The Men, soldiers who had been blooded in many battles, were too entranced by the blood all around them to see...

As they crossed over the rocks, ahead, a small Ridge sat, between them, two dozen yards of open ground, barren earth, and topping the ridge, three, gleaming metal weapons, tube like in front, boxy in the rear, strung out before them, small bushels of strange weed like wires. The Blue coats stood face with these strange weapons, and kneeld, thunder staffs held ready.

But the Imperial troops still held the numbers in this fight.

"RUSH THEM"! someone screamed, and the mass of metal charged. The young boy, no a man now, blooded in battle, raised his short sword and pushed his shield towards his chest as the swarm surged forwards towards the outnumbered foe. The clatter of armor swinging on bodies sounded alongside a horn only added to the men's cries.

And then, as if some force, unseen arrived, as if by the will of the gods, a new sound filled the air. A blunt _Thunk Thunk Thunk_ that left screams in it's wake, men withering in bloody heaps of metal that once served as armor. Up and down, sweeping the death sought out all those it could touch. Armor and flesh were torn asunder before it's cry.

The young Legionary too,was not immune to the sweeping death's touch. He felt his shield thrown from his grasp,torn away, several holes peppered into it's side. He dropped to the ground, a burning pain in his right leg as it was thrown out from under him, the weight of his armor crashing him down to the ground, he watched, his view of the world now sideways, as men fell in droves before the deadly burp of the enemy's new weapon, one every soldier who heard of feared, a weapon that cut charges down to nothing, that denied the advantages of massing troops together, a dark magic for sure.

The once proud ranks of warriors broke, those not dead or dying turning in retreat, the enemy firing as they withdrew, some even laughing, he felt anger welt inside his chest at this. The pain was great, he could feel blood running like a stream down his leg,and the burn of something that had shot clean through it, taking a cut of skin with it.

Ahead, the Blue coats advanced forwards, blades ending their weapons, checking the dead and wounded. He tried to feint death, the thought of what butchers who could kill so many in battle would do to prisoners wasn't something he hoped to find out...

* * *

 **Alnus, Japanese Hill**

Corporal Taki turned his head away from the mass of death before him, the Maxim Guns had down there job all too well, men thrown down like rag dolls in an eternal slumber laid everywhere. The march through the Doorway had been easy enough, the strange darkness lit only by a few lanterns placed at the edges had been free of enemies, and the first wave had taken to the top of the hill with little issue. His section had advanced down, to reinforce the Machine gun section, and just in time for this "attack"...

If you could call it that, the mob of armored soldiers had been cut to ribbon like tall grass in a garden before the might of the Maxim guns, the European Weapons had proven themselves in the war with the Czar, and once again had proven themselves now. Once again, he found war lacking the honor he'd heard so much about.

"Men advance and check for survivors"! Lt Akabi cried, his officers saber drawn from his side, glinting in the slowly fading moonlight, and a pistol in his other hand. Taki took a breath before relaying the order to the men behind him. The Troops perked, and formed a rough line, sweeping forwards through the blood soaked grounds before them. A few enemy soldiers still lived, some tried to crawl away, others tried to reach fallen weapons, the latter received a bayonet in the back of the neck, the one area uncovered by armor on them.

Taki crept slowly through them, sorting with his eyes, dead from dying and those few who might yet be saved, and caught view of one such soldier, trying to crawl, pulling his shot up form with both arms away, he advanced, rifle pointed downwards at the wounded man, and gave him a light poke with his rifle's bayonet, he stopped, and turned his head, a look of horror written across his face.

"Do not move"! the young corporal shouted in his own tongue, weather or not the man understood mattered little, an order was an order, and the man understood that much. He stopped still as a dead man, his breathing slowing down, making the Japanese man question if he was near death. He crept closer, placing his rifle in one hand, the other pulled on the man's shoulder, turning him over to check for any other wounds.

In an instant, he caught the glint of steel in the moonlight flashing, and threw himself back, dodging a dagger, hidden in the man's left hand, slashing mere inches from his face. He quickly regained himself, and threw his fist forwards, the man's helmet was missing, and his fist slammed into the unguarded cheek of his foe, knocking him out, limp on the ground.

"Still some fight in you eh"? he asked out loud, recalling his fathers words from his childhood, always feeding stray dogs, the beasts would rip the chunks of meat he's give them from the air, but slowly, he would wear them down into smiled before wiping the memory away and returning to the present , any other man would have bayoneted this man in the back, he'd tried to kill him after all, only fair to return the favor in kind, but he'd fought well, even on the verge of death, he deserved to live for that. Singing his rifle over his shoulder, calling another soldier over to help him haul this man away...

* * *

 **Legion Command Tent, Alnus Hills**

Mathis clenched both fists as messengers brought the news from the front, the enemy was cutting away the Empires ranks, like a wood cutter would a mighty great wood tree, they could not last much longer against this. And every hour that passed, more enemy troops entered through the Gate.

"What advantages to we have"? he asked his staff of veteran Legion Officers, most had served with him in past Campaigns, the battle with the Bunny Warriors on the Northern Plains, and the East Campaign, burning all that did not suit the Empire's use.

And now...he stood before a foe he, for what he'd seen and hard, could not best. Away at the front, he heard the cracking of enemy weapons...

"By the gods, let me find a way..." he cursed under breath, so far, everything sent had not returned, lines of foot soldiers, cavalry, even his siege weapons, taken out by thunderous fists that wizzed from the heavens! From outside, he heard running, and turned his head to watch a messenger sprint into his tent, the man was covered in dirt and grime, and looked like he'd run a long way.

" Aye" he saluted, bringing an arm to his chest "...Our...our attempt to retake of the hill from the Blue coats failed, they crushed our foot soldiers like dust under heel" He spat out, contempt in his voice, Mathis ignored it, and understood why

 _"Once, i too was forced to follow orders i did not believe in"_

All eyes turned to him now, all attacks had failed, little ground taken, and what HAD been taken had not stayed that way for long, he saw nno other options but one now...

"We break off and regroup our remaining troops...here" he said pointing out a city, Lilithca, some 30 miles north, a small city, but with enough supplies to keep the remains of his once proud Legion and the rest in good health. But not all saw it that way.

"Are you saying...you want us to run, like children before the darkness, would you have us follow you as cowards now"? one Legion Commander, a younger man named Fabius questioned, raising a sharp eyebrow at the mention of running from battle. A Legion of the Empire had not found itself defeated since...his own battles in the North, on the Plains...

"We cannot hold them, and if we try, we shall bleed ourselves dry to the bones, and waste nothing more then the lives of our valiant warriors in trying"! he shouted back, one did not take a challenge like that lightly. He had done what he'd had to, for his men's sake.

"If i may remind you, this is MY command, i am in charge of this defense, not you, we have no choice, if we can regroup..." he realized then, he did not know what they could do, they had tried to bleed the enemy dry, and instead, they had payed them that honor...

"We shall do something, but for now, living is whta matters, sound withdraw"! he ordered, a horn player nodded, before running outside, and sounding the low, dry call of withdraw, it took a few moments for other horn players to pick it up, but soon the cry was carried across the hills for miles. He just knew that, if they could regroup, they could oppose the enemy somehow.

 _"I pray to the gods we last until then"_ he reflected turning to leave...

* * *

 **Base of American Hill, Alnus**

2nd Lieutenant David Clark found himself in a grim spot. They had charged the enemy lines at the opening of the battle, and had had success early on, but they had ran into stiff resistance, facing lumbering brutes armed with clubs, and arrows rained down around them, Many had fallen in the company, and Clark had quickly taken command, he'd pulled them into a small ravine, their ranks cut down to only two dozen, many wounded. They'd taken cover, repelling two charges by enemy infantry with rifle fire, but now, found themselves running low on both ammunition and moral.

Not for lack of trying though.

 _"...Taken from Africa, brought to America..." S_ ergeant Slim sung the little ballad he'd written up just for the 10th, most of the men enjoyed the tune, and some, leaning on rocks and dead horses for cover, sung along. Ahead, outside the small crack of rock and dirt, they could here the rumble of marching feet, a third assault was coming.

"Get Ready"! "Clark yelled, loading fresh rounds into his Kraig with a sharp _snap._ He only had a few rounds left, but he'd make them count for every shot. Next to him, leaning over a fallen mount, young private Parker, his baby face looking rather tired, readied his own weapon. "Fire on my command"! Clark added, they would wait until they were close.

He was tempted to say "...Not until you see the whites of their eyes".

Ahead, a sharp metal sound rang out, like keys against a hip, a loud clanging, and from the haze ahead, came a running mass of men, armor clad, swords and spears in hand, raised for the kill. They screamed the cry of war, many as they got closer could be seen to be batters, armor dented in places here and there.

They had fought before this night.

They gained speed as they ran, the screaming growing nearer.

 _"Wait for it...wait for it..."_

He sighted one leading the mass, his helmet adorn with a mighty, blood red plum.

"FIRE" he shouted, at once, over a dozen bolt action Krag–Jørgensen Springfield Rifles boomed, an in an instant, the bolts were pulled back, and another volly fired. Many enemies fell, like puppets with the strings cut, others charged on. Feeling his rifle dry of bullets, Clark stood, and pulled his pistol from his side, firing the Revolver with vigor, dropping two more Romans in that many seconds.

But more came on, a second mob, almost three dozen strong, and most of the horse soldiers were down to the blades affixed to their rifles.

This was the end is seemed...or so they thought.

At once, a horn cry rang true throughout the land, for a moment, Clark through it might be another Cavalry troop, cresting the horizon and saving them, like some northern novel on the west, but this was no US Army Trumpet, it was louder, carried by dozens of horns, and he watched, in amazement, as the enemy turned tail and ran, retreating.

He was at a loss for words. Slim, on the other hand, was not.

"Hell Yeah! We kicked em in the ass good"!

Other Cav soldiers followed, shouting at the fleeing foe before them. More enemy troops soon followed from ahead of them, a full blown retreat had been sounded, and in the distance, at the hill top, a sound brought a smile to Clark's lips.

A REAL Cavalry call sounded charge, and the stamp of horse hooves followed it, alongside yips and yays as dozens of white soldiers on horse back charged the retreating Romans.

He watched as a small gaggle of horsemen rode up to them, one mounted the Stars and Stripes in hand from a small pole. Another, and older man with a brown mostache and hair, smiled at him jumping down from his saddle. Colonel John J Pershing, he'd lead the 10th in Cuba, and Clark held him in regard highly.

"Good to see you again Clark" he smiled, shaking his hand with vigor. He smiled a bit weary, "Thank You Colonel sir" he added with a salute. The Colonel, dressed in blue uniform, with a saber on his hip, laughed. "I've been saving your ass since you were "Sergeant Clark" you know"

Clark did know, he had pushed him down during the fighting in Cuba in "98", and saved him from a Spanish bullet with his name on it.

"Well. just happy to see you made it Clark, god knows we going to need all the men we can get to end this war" he said, gazing off, Clark followed his gaze, and watched the sun crest a mountain in the distance, lighting up the battlefield, strewn with dead from both sides.

"That we are sir, that, we are"

* * *

Arthur Maxwell, a captain in the British Army, was tired. His red uniform was covered in mud and blood, the later being darker against the crimson of his blouse. Most of the men of the Company were tired, they had fought close in, bayonets and blades with the enemy, rifle butts had smashed against faces in armor,and short swords had torn into red clad troops, and now all was still.

Before the sitting men, lines of fresh troops marched forwards, some gawked at the company, weather the blood or the skin colors he didn't care. He and everyone else had been through a hellish fight, not seen since the likes of the grand days of Waterloo.

 _"Grand my ass"_ he thought, realizing the idea of graceful battle to be an ironic sentence. He laughed aloud at the thought with a weary smile. Among the wall of Kahki clad troops, a red dressed man moved, the insignia of an officer presenter on his uniform. Most of the red clad men stood tale as colonel Rode's face turned dark as he looked them over.

"You men..." he stood in silence for a moment before starting again "You men...are the finest troops i've ever served with...i'm proud to call all of you soldiers of the crown..." he looked away as most of the troops smiled, despite difference in homeland and in skin color and culture, they were brothers, who had fought together and died together.

Maxwell sat off a bit, leaning against the shattered remains of a once standing tree, now a mere stump. The colonel nodded at him and walked beside him.

"You know something" Arthur said, breaking the few moments of silence between them "My father was at Rorke's Drift"

Rode knew well enough about Rorke's drift, 1879, in South Africa, a small outpost manned by only a hundred regulars clad in the same type of scarlet dress as they, had held off almost three thousand Zulu warriors armed with spears. It was one of the finest moments in English Military History, alongside Waterloo and Trafalgar.

"A hero then"? Rode's asked. The young Captain shook his head with a short smile "No, he wasn't. his Caverly Unit was fleeing from the defeat at Isandlwana, an entire Army overrun, they just wanted to escape, and they came upon a force of less then a hundred men, ready to stand the tide..."

"And?" Rode questioned.

"They left, thought it was insane, and then, it did look insane, but..." He paused, as if, Rode's thought, catching the memory he looked for somewhat a challenge

"He regretted it for the rest of his life, told me right before i went to officers school, to teach me something, to teach me...that even when something seems insane, even when it seems like an unwinnable fight, you may just be proven wrong, remember that in this war"

Both men gazed over the remains of the enemy army spread out before them, Rode's didn't have the heart to ask if he was speaking for the British, or the Romans, neither did he know which would need the advice...

* * *

 **Several miles west of Alnus**

Aqulia looked on with horror as the few wounded men we carted by, the wounds seemed beyond belief, men cut up in dozens of places, others with limbs gone, some even untouched, but just...gone inside, as if by some dark magic. It almost made him happy that he had not seen battle, the enemies magic, cries of thunder followed by masses of fire had sent his men into disaray as they departed for battle, and he had barely escaped with his life.

Mounted on his horse, watching the lines of men and carts pass, he questioned how they might ever defeat a foe such as this. Overhead, a few scouts one dragon back watched over the collum, he had seen no enemy dragons during the battle, and questioned if they had any at all...

An idea jumped forth in his mind, and with a cold smile, he wrapped his horse, and began running, with the collum.

He knew how to get back at the enemy now, fight them in a way that could not...

* * *

 **Saint Petersberg, Russian Empire**

Stepping out onto the street, a man of thirty five years watched people in the streets march by, open protest was in effect, the Czar's choice of not following other nations through the doorway to another world was unpopular to everyone, and the military let it's option be know by not mopping the streets with protesters. Beside him, another man of a few years young stood, his trimmed mostach and glasses at odds with his comrade, missing the later, but both smiled slightly as they walked down the street, talking.

"Our time is soon at hand" the first man said, his voice laced with joy, the other nodded "yes, the time's have come to our side, the Czar can say what he will, but we know he refuses to send our troops to the new world, because he fears a revolt without his military, but his mistake, was assuming the Army and Navy agrees with him on the matter"

Ahead, more people in a small square had gathered, home made signs held high in the cold morning air, this only further joyed them.

"The people agree with us now, the time for change is here, and know, we will change this land, for the common man"

upon hearing his friend say this, Vladimir Lenin smiled fully, he always knew Trotsky and himself worked well together, and now, with the entire Empire in an uproar, the time was right for them to make their move...

* * *

 **And so, the first big reveal comes to light, that is right, the Russian** **Revolution is coming earlier then intended, now a new nation will be forged, a Soviet Union...**


	6. Chapter 6 All is quiet

**Guest : I update when i can, between school, other writing (school stuff) and free time, i try to get then out as often as i can, hopefully more in the future. As much as Roosevelt kicking the shit out of a rape happy prince would please me, i'd be rather unrealistic, but he'll get his badass moments, and other leaders too (I've so far neglected both France and England)**

 **Guest (The one writing in** **cyrillic) Not sure if your pissed or just commenting (But judging by all the ! points, i'd say the first) if your unhappy with my treatment of Russia thus far...i'm not quite sure what to say besides sorry. I'm not trying to make Russians into demons, by far, i want to fairly show each nation, don't expect me to forget America's treatment of people in the P** **hilippines, or Germany and England's treatment of people in her oversea's colonies. This isn't the JSDF's heroic defeat of an evil empire, this is the swap of one crushing boot for another.**

 **L4 of the WEST : yes the reds, the waters are right for the people to strike down the** **bourgeoisie!**

 **ATP: I've thought of the personal body armor for soldiers...but since the US never tried it, despite fighting a war against Bow and Arrow wielding natives, i think it wouldn't work, Russia will likely build up her new "Red" Army with outside help, and motorized armor may appear at some point, but not in the way you may think. On the note of the Red Army vs White, the idea that the Czar will not send troops through the gate, has brought many soldiers to Lenin's side, ready to regain their nation's honor.**

 **Naga Mada: i think a beta reader might be a good idea, you:)**

 **random reader *Legit that's his username, i shit you not* As am i, remember this world has never seen arial warfare, it may prove to be the one advantage the Empire has...for now anyway.**

 **ManwithaPlan113 : Thanks, the inclusion of the Soviets will change history**

 **Also, two bits of news friends, i've founded a Facebook page for the story, i post photos and sometimes info there on the era there, join if you'd like. It also seems i've been mentioned on the Gate/Fanfic TV Tropes page. It's a small mention, but still a mention never the less...**

* * *

 **"No Battle Plan Survives Contact With the Enemy"**

 **-Helmuth von Moltke**

* * *

The large hall was crowded, chairs of every type and make strewn before a large sheet in the front of the room, one would expect nothing less from a "5 Cent Theater" as it attracted people from all walks of life, but despite it's mix of people, it quickly silenced itself as the lights dimmed, and the slow whine of the projector begun, the darkness taking on a white light as the makeshift screen came to life. In the background, a player piano sang out "Miss Innocence" clangily. The film began with a title card _"New World Battlefield"_ in bold white letters alongside a date and the film makers name, then the picture changed to a new scene, it showed men in uniform, the jaunty brimmed hats made it clear they were Americans, looking over a barren landscape, trees broken here and there, and roughed up in clumps near the ground, metal armor clad forms, all washed in black and white.

People gasped at the sight, even more so as the scene cut, now it showed a massive beastly thing, like a man but...bigger chained to a massive stake in the ground attached to a collar fitted to it's neck, it's face ugly, on either side, a soldier stood, rifle tipped with a bayonet, "spears" at the ready. This sent women in the front, and some weaker men, into fits of gasping, and even fainting, those effected dearly were carried out, but many did not seem to notice, eyes instead glued to the alien land on screen, so similar to their own, yet different in so many ways.

But the images of men in ancient armor out of the bible, and lumbering beasts, was nothing compared to what came next, causing a second louder round of screams.

A...a large monster, caged in an enclosure of metal and wood, like a large iron net, it's back carried a pair of what had to be wings, and it hissed and roared in angerly silence on film, sending soldier reeling back in fright. The camera studied the beast further, before stopping completely. Like a dragon of tales told past, now living in film, no trickery, or if so, the best trickery ever to be captured on film.

The light returned to the once dark room, people filed out, talking among themselves, others had to be moved out of their seats, in shock. For the first time, people were getting a view of another world and the battle being fought there...

* * *

 **Hindhead Village** **, England**

Awaking from a night of rest, Arthur Doyle sat up, flinging the covers from his body, he felt a bit colder without the blanket, but he could tell the heater was on, started every morning at 5:30 per his instruction by the house maid, but as his pocket watch on his bed side stated, he saw it was only 6:07 after all. He stood, and dressed himself from the wardrobe nearby, he did so carefully, the slumbering form of his wife still sleeping soundly. He frowned watching her, the doctors said it was turberculosis,he knew from his time in medical school they were right, but he also knew what that meant from medical school, anytime she was given some peace, he was pleased.

Sighing, he finished dressing, a brown suit, cap and unpolished shoes on each foot, not the best for an Englishmen, but for today it would suffice. Leaving with only a curt nod to the house keeper preparing breakfast for his wife, and left, walking through the morning mist towards the local rail station. The sky was the color of a calm spring sea, as Doyle sat down on a wooden bench, reading the morning paper he had picked up off the street, a young boy selling them for a few coins, he'd accepted gladly and now sat reading on global affairs.

He gazed with much interest at an story, fighting was picking up in Russia between the few people still royal to Nicholas II, and those under Lenin, a name he'd heard a few times in the past several years, and now he was leading the "Red Army" in it's fight against the Russian loyalists. The fighting had been taking place for several weeks now, the "Reds" bolstered by foreign weapons and men who often Doyle found, were attracted to these sort of conflicts. Doyle didn't think the Czar had must longer left on his throne. Add to his mistake, in trying to keep his Army out of the Gateway's world, fearing a power struggle without their presence, backfiring, and cutting his small military in half, many wanting to regain Russia's honor in the new world, and land, now rallying to Lenin's side.

Hearing the low cry of a steam engine's whistle, he stood up, rolling up the paper at his side, and boarded, handing his ticket to the conductor who quickly punched a hole through it and he took a seat just as the engine began again, the wheels slowly churning forwards on the tracks towards the next station, the window turning into a screen of moving pictures, the countryside becoming a blurry slideshow of grass, country houses and trees that was seen often enough on train rides.

Going back to the paper, he read on, despite a war being waged on another world, affairs of this planet went on, a story stated that Kaiser Wilhelm had met with the Sultan of Morocco again, this time, a simple state visit to an "ally", unalike his last, that left him stating he sided with the nation's sovereignty, causing some anger from France and Doyle's own native England. The German monarch was not known for his subtlety. Another story said that Franz Joseph, emperor of Austro-Hungary, had offered troops to the Kasier's somewhat under manned forces, no army had been ready for this after all. He was sure it was only a ploy to win favor with the Germans, he didn't want to full co-operation between the two men, god knew it wouldn't end well.

Like any European, Doyle knew well that one day, a war would happen in Europe, and this "Crisis" Morocco showed only further, who's side Germany would be on in an event of a conflict between her and England. Feeling a jolt followed by a low moan of the train's horn followed by a shout of "Working" from the conductor, Doyle realized he'd reach his stop, standing, he folded his paper in two, and walked off the car onto the platform and out of the station and onto the cobble streets, a horse and buggy rode by him as he took a breath of fresh air, away from the stations smoke and smog air.

The sharp click of his shoes on the rather well placed and neat cobblestone street seemed almost calming in the cool morning air,and order found in everyday life. he found himself in a few minutes, at a small coffeehouse, the sign hanging over the door read _Greene Tavern_ although he assumed it was for dramatic effect over establishment's servings. Opening the door with a creak, he entered, the fumes of warm coffee and smoke from cigars biting at his nose, he took a seat at the booth nearest the door and placed his hat on the adorning rack.

A young woman with wonderful crimson hair was at the table side in moments "Good morning sir, i'm Lisa-" she started but he spoke first

"Lisa Greene, the owners daughter" the side of his mouth formed a wisp of a smile as she looked slightly shocked, her cheeks red "How on earth did you..."?

"Easy dear, your no older then nineteen, and with the same last name as the owner, you'd be likely to be family, and i noticed..." he nodded at the red headed man behind the counter "...That your hair is a shared trait from your father"

"Well sir..." she smiled a bit "What will you be having today"? she asked.

"Oh, i'm meeting a friend for tea, so two cups of tea...and i'm feeling rather empty, some fish and chips to go with it if you could please" he knew the idea of lunch this early seemed odd, but he needed something hot to go with the tea. But the young woman didn't seem fazed by his quest at all.

She nodded, before leaving to get the order taken down. Waiting, he looked over the newspaper once more, finding a quick bit on the fighting in the new world, reports of sights too much to be believed, winged lizards out of a fairy tale. He would have scoffed at it if not for the Doorway's sudden appearance in London changing the way he thought. He read on that Henry Ford had gifted the US Army fifty Model T automobiles. He wondered how useful something that was outpaced by a horse would be to the yanks in battle.

Before he could truly pick at the idea, the door to the tavern opened, and a slender form entered, he smiled at Doyle, his trimmed mustache curving over his lips as he took a seat across from his. "So good to see you again Herbert" he said rising to shake the man's hand, he gave it a hearty gentleman's grip. Herbert shook it back with the same vigor.

"Charmed again Arthur" he replied in his pitched London accent.

Sitting his friend gestured at the newsprint on the table. Doyle handed it to him, and Herbert looked it over. Both had inspected the Doorway after the battle of London on the behalf of the government, and had taken in the other world's "gifts", the prisoners of the enemy, dressed like some pseudo Roman soldiers, the remains of the enemy's beastly shock troops, large lumbering brutes carrying giant clubs as if they were toothpicks. All seemed like something out of a fairy tale, not science fact.

"As if i'd ever be fooled into thinking fairies were real" Doyle said under breath at the thought. Although he now seemed to not believe himself or his words.

Herbert looked at him "Doesn't another planet invading London sound like something out of one of my works"? He smiled, Doyle had to agree there. Hearing someone approach, both turned their heads to see young Lisa Greene, holding two books in her hand, a pen grasped against one, a well work copy of _The Hounds of Baskervilles_ alongside a barren covered _The Time Machine._ Both writers smiled, and sighed their book, Doyle signing _Sir Arthur Conan Doyle_ well Herbert scrawled _HG Wells_ on his work. She smiled greatly as both finished giving a series of "Thank You"s interlaced with complements. They'd both seen it before and understood why.

After all, it wasn't everyday you met two famous English authors.

* * *

 **Alnus, American Hill** **_"_** ** _Teddy's_ _Peak"_**

Colonel Pershing placed his pen down as he finished the last sentence of the letter he was writing, they'd lost quite a few men pushing the "Romans" off the hills, and now he was carrying on the tradition, of writing the dead's families, to comfort them one last time. Some people would have scoffed at the idea, men in armor wielding swords killing America's finest,armed with superior weapons, but he'd ask any critic to recall the period between 1840 and 1890 in which the Army fought a "war" against the tribes of the plains Indian, men armed with, at first, spears and bows who still managed to be a thorn in the United State's side for decades.

Standing, he rubbed his hands together, trying to loosen the knot forming his his finger muscles. He turned his head at a sharp knock from outside his tent from a piece of wood propt up as a knocking board outside.

"Permission to enter"?

"Come in" he answered, the flap moved, a American officer with the bars of a 2nd Lieutenant on his collar saluted, the colonel returned it, and the man handed him an envelope "From General Wood Sir" he said steadily, "Thank you" he replied and dismissed him, the officer nodded, then left. Pershing took but a moment, ripping the message's top off, taking the paper within out.

General Lenard Wood, a veteran of the Spanish American War, and the fighting against the Moros in the Philippine had been giving command by president Roosevelt, a somewhat controversial decision, giving other officers of higher ranks had been declined the roll, and his own service with Wood in 1898 only furthered people's idea that favortism was afoot. But Pershing knew Wood, he was the right choice.

The envelop told him that it had come from the War Department in DC,The large brick building next to the white house where military men went to "die".  
Most of the US Army was still being commanded from Washington still, the Army staff was notorious for it's slow ability to set up camp. Reading it, he found it was, as the 2nd Lieutenant had said, from Major General Leonard Wood.

 _Colonel Pershing, i'm happy to hear that you made it through the last few days alright, news has been scarce, and what little there has been, the yellow press has twisted into knots of lies three feet long, but i'm i've sent this with a more...,military concern in mind. The war department has, in it's infinite wisdom, decide to test out auto mobiles in combat, now we all know very well that a horse is_ _superior_ _to some wheel bound engine, but a general, even myself, cannot stop such a decision, so when the time to decide what Cavalry unit would be sent four model T Fords, i made sure it should be you, i feel your the best man to handle these sorts of hindrances with anything but stride._

 _They should arrive within the week old friend_

 _Sincerly, Leonard Wood, Major General, United States Army_

He felt his hands grip the letter with anger, managing a company of rowdy horsemen was hard enough, and now he had to worry about a heard of gas guzzeling autos holding up said company of rowdy horsemen?

The Army life never got easier did it?

...

David Clark smiled, sitting at a makeshift table, a few crates for seats, along with a plank of wood and a large crate for a table, he sipped from a mug a sweet tea with just a bit of"kick" in a makeshift cafe only a few dozen yards from the doorway. After beating back the "Romans", the enemy had retreat so fast, they'd left behind most of their slaves and officer's servants, they'd been frightened at first, no doubt they'd been told lies about the Americans and the rest of the armies, many hid, but soon enough, they'd found the lies to be just that, lies.

David thought they reminded him of the filipinos he'd meet during his tour in their country. Despite the stories told of brutal tactics used by the guerillas, the civilians were just average people caught up in a bad thing, good people if you got to know them well enough. Maybe it was his own race helped him hold empathy for them. Many now saw the first real meal in their lives, which brought even the most scared person around fast. Many had taken what skills they'd had as slave, mostly laborers, but some had more refined skills, like making the tea he was drinking now, and were giving it free of charge to the many weary soldiers on the hill.

"Dog learns to like the hand that feeds it" Slim said, sitting next to Clark, he took a long sip of his drink "It ain't whisky, but it's sure as hell better then everything else"He thought Slim was starting to sound like a white man, but he couldn't argue with his later comment. Clark nodded in reply "Is damn finer then whisky too if you ask me". He'd never been one for the drink, his father had taught him that much, be it from taking an early grave and leaving him to work to keep food on the table alongside his mother.

And now, almost thirty years latter, he'd seen himself go from a young boy, to an officer in the United States Army, literate and making a name for himself. Not bad for a "Negro" if you asked him. He went back to sipping his drink, a young woman dressed in a red jacket came by, offering more, her jacket would have seemed off in the states, showing the skin of her arms, but what seemed far strangers were the two brown ears, like that of a rabbit, that shot out of the top of her head, base hidden in her crimson red hair. Her legs were rather furry as well. She spoke in the strange speech of the "Roman" but judging by her tone, she was asking if they wanted more. Both men smiled, but politely declined handing her their empty mugs. Soldier couldn't be drunk on duty, and and NCO and an officer drunk? That would have far worse repercussions then he liked to think about David thought.

Turning their heads, both men watched troops and supplies pour through the Doorway, some on horseback or cart, others on foot, the United States Army had made it's foothold, and it sure as hell wasn't going to give it up without a fight. He watched a file of soldiers, files slung marching poorly out of step go by, a NCO barking at them to "Get Their heads outta 'their asses", Clark assumed they were militia or volunteers, many carried the Winchester, the civilian rifle that had be so popular with volunteers in the war with Spain, on their shoulders along with many non issue parts of uniform, straw hats and so on.

The US had been in no state for a war, and it was reflected in the soldiers now being sent to reinforce the garrison on the hill along with the state of the American "Peacetime" Army as a whole. He'd heard they were even sending in marines, striping them from the fleet for service with the army, they we're scrapping the bottom of the barrel clean for sure.

Standing, he placed his cavalrymen's hat, alongside Slim, and left the small table, heading back to the Cav's barracks, a converted group of stables at the base of the American Hill. The decently sized complex housed around five hundred men and horses, and gave some of the comforts that a foot soldier lacked, Engineers were hard at work building barracks for troops, but even the decent force at work around the clock, could only get so far. Walking down, hastily set trails to keep infantry out of the way of wagons, the atmosphere had taken a complete change from that of the day after the battle.

Flag waving and cheering, drinking, even songs were sung (Among favorites, Yankee Doddle, and the Battle Hyme of the Republic, an unspoken agreement between Northern and Southern soldiers, kept the Battle Cry of Freedom, with it's lyrics being different depending on your part of the country and side of the civil war, from being sung)

But the festivities had ended, and now the men returned to the standard grind of the United States Army, drill,shoot, drill, shoot and so on. As if reading his thoughts Slim pipped up "Why in the hell are we sitting here anyway? We got the Romans on the run?" He raised a good question, one that he even crossed Clark's mind once, but the answer was a simple one. "Because we don't know where to go, we don't have any maps of this place" he said with a wave of his hand to the countryside beyond the hill "can't fight a war without knowing the land, can we"?

Slim nodded "Guess your right there, still, what i wouldn't give for another crack at these bastards, this time on open ground, put us horse soldiers in our element" Coming to the door of the stables, both men had to agree, the quicker the Alliance got it hands on a map of the other world, they at a road crossing hastily marked by Engineers the day before with rocks, they watched a wagon full of crates, with a large artillery piece hitched to it's back go by, followed by a formation of white uniformed khaki french soldiers, a blue sash worn on their uniforms at the waist, rifles shouldered. Their faces were a mix, pale, tanned and even black...

"Willis"? David called out in an icy tone, the black faced trooper turning to look at the horse soldier, and smiled "David"?

Breaking rank, he ran up to him, and shoo his hand with vigor "God, when was the last time i saw you?" His joy blinded him from the scowl on his sibling's face.

"Bout two years ago, you ran out on mama...she wrote to me about it, you just up and left one day" his sibling said with anger. Wilis's face turned sour "I know...but...i owed money to some people, couldn't stay in the states anymore...how is mama doing now anyway"?

He brother's face glared at him "She's dead, been dead for almost a year now" his voice held two years of anger in it's tone, he'd had to bury her himself, a few people had attended, Slim had tagged along with him on the train to Maryland, having to pay for a seat in the "colored" car, forgodsake, he was in uniform, and that porter had the nerve to tell him such a thing!

He took a deep breath, and let it blow out through his nose, nostrils flaring. Just two blue uniformed soldiers and a pastor, that's all she'd been sent off by. It had angered him, she'd deserved more then that. He'd been ready to kill Willis then, he'd blaimed him for it, still did blaim him for it, but he'd have to put it aside, for now. Unballing his fists he sighed "After this is over, well talk about all of this, don't skip on me again"

Willis could tell he was still angry, and that he was serious.

"I will, don't worry" he smiled nervously as both blue coated men walked away, boots kicking away mud as they went. Slim frowned "So that's your brother huh"? The lieutenant nodded "Sadly, yes"

* * *

 **Japanese Hill _"Little_ _Fuji"_** , **Alnus**

A harsh gust of wind picked up a torn banner, making it give a last dance in the breeze as it lay where it had fallen, in the cold hands of a man's body It's crimson symbol of the Empire of Falmare, a winged crest upon a royal red field now tattered, hung lowly as the wind died, like those that lay around it, their blood a matching shade to the crimson of the banner. Men lay dead, ravens with coats the color of night peaked and pulled at their flesh, leaving uncovered bones in their wake. Some tangled in barbed wire _,t_ he new battlefield fortification, it had served the imperial army well against Russia, and had again here proven itself suppior to wooden stakes.

Horses lie dead in massive lines, their riders strewn over their flanks, dead too like the mounts they'd ridden into battle. Here and there, the ground was pock marked, with shell holes. The weapons of modern warfare had met the past, and had beaten what had come before them. Emperor Meji, dressed in a dark blue military coat of western style and _Kepi_ cap, had seen this before, his eyes then younger,his body stronger,but his spirit lacking the wisdom that comes with age.

"Just like Shiroyama" he whispered under breath, recalling the scene from almost twenty eight years before, when Saigō Takamori, the last of the Samurai warlords of the old ages and his army, who had rebelled against the changing times, and, when surrounded, not only by a larger army, but by modern weapons, choose to lead his men in a charge, to death rather then to dishonor themselves. That day, upon hearing of such bravery, changed the destiny of Japan. No longer would the code of the Samurai be forsaken, rather, it would be embraced alongside Japan's new era.

And the day the gate had opened, had also changed her destiny once more.

He turned to the grouping of generals and officers of lower rank behind him. They'd been silent as he took in the carnage of the battlefield for himself, and wore the look of young children make when waiting for a reply from a parent or older sibling. His deep thoughts translated to silence, as he pondered all before him. He'd lead the great nation of Japan, since she had gone from a backwater of Asia, to her present powerhouse form, and now he'd seen her power, her _will_ first hand.

He felt a mixture of disgust, and pride...

* * *

 **Other World Ocean...**

Captain Andrew Cookmen of the American battleship, USS _Alabama,_ her white "peacetime" coat covered by a quickly painted grey shade of war,took the binoculars from a petty officer, and gazed at a sight off his bow by a few hundred yards, near the second "13"/ "37" gun on the bow of his ship. A graduate of the US naval academy class of 1898, Cookmen was a cautious man and sailor, he'd captained the _Alabama_ for almost a year now, and thus far his tenure as CO had been uneventful.

He hoped that wouldn't change.

the strange shape, black like the ink of a pen beneath the waves, brought dread to his mind. Was it some kind of sea monster? A month earlier, he would have laughed at the idea, but now times had changed, and this alien world was full of surprises that he would have once scoffed at.

Before he could order any actions taken, the water broke, and a shape crafted of metal, cool and sleek on the water's surface. like a long egg with a hump in the middle. He watched with the rest of the bridge crew, as a hatch was swung open at the top of the thing's...hump, and a three men climbed out, dressed in white uniforms, with blue trim and caps.

"Ensign, get me the guidebook" he called over his shoulder, asking for the book of uniforms issued through the forces of the "Alliance" of Earth Nations, to help Identify one another. But before a seamen could had him the book, his question was answered for him, as the sailors on the small craft, raised the black, red and white stripped banner of the German Empire. Giving his XO command of the bridge, he exited to the deck, to get a closer look at the German craft.

A shout rang out, another man had exited the craft, in what had to be the blue coat of an officer, and in broken English, he spoke into a large cone meant to amplify his voice "Permission to come aboard your vessel, _herr_ captain"?

The crewmen on the bridge turned, and looked at him, the unspoken question lit in each of their eyes.

"Granted" he answered, a sailor relayed this, yelling it to the men bellow, who began lowering a ladder to them. giving command of the ship, to his XO, Andrew exited to meet with the German Officer. Climbing aboard, with speed Cookmen would have thought impossible,even more so when he noticed the lines of age in the man's face as he approached. The officer met his counterpart with a handshake, and a tip of his cap. He smiled returning the handshake

"Captain Maximilian von Spee of his majesty's _Kaiserliche Marine_ , at your service captain..." he answered with the tone of asking a question, implying he wished to know to who he was talking to. Cookmen nodded "Captain Andrew Cookmen, United State's Navy, quite a craft you have there" he added, waving at the submersible, bobbing on the water's surface,like an apple at a state fair before it's plunked by a dunkie

"Ahh yes, i see you've noticed are _Schiff_ " he said with a smile, his German leaking into his english at the end. Andrew did in fact notice it, the US Navy had bought a submersible a few years earlier from John Holland, and many officers still called it a waste of funds. The ease at which is had snuck up on his ship told him perhaps those thoughts were untrue.

" _Herr_ Captain, if i may ask, our craft's engine has...how you say, gone _kaput_ "

Cockmen nodded, a finger under his chin "So you'd...like a tow, i assume"? he inquired, the German's face lightend, with a smile "Yes, yes, a two back to port" he nodded with vigor. Cockmen, shouted over his shoulder, sailors began working, tossing over several lines to sailors on the german vessel's deck, before tying them down to her deck. Both ships were attached within minutes.

"Your ship do this...often"? he asked, the still smiling german shrugged " _Nein,_ we are still working the problems out of her, the advantage she gives us more then outweighs her engine issues" he smiled waving at the sleek hulled ship again, the sailors on decked nodded, returning bellow.

"Thank you captain, if it is alright, i'd like to stay aboard, to make sure nothing happens to the U-1, and that she is well attached"

Cockmen understood, a naval officer never wanted command taken from him of his ship, never fully, anyway. being on the bridge would give him the feeling of still some control, he agreed at once, inviting him to accompany him to the _Alabama_ 's bridge.

...

The alliance naval staging point, nicknamed "Homeport" by the many seamen who sailed out of her, was a sight to behold, the four massive naval gates stood in a row, lying upon a large reef, with a few islands dotting the sea nearby, the Marines of four nations had fought quite the battle to take them for the allied cause, and build around the Islands, free floating drydocks and portage anchored to the sea floor some sixty to seventy meters down, brought in to build a proper naval base. As the grey hulk that was the _Alabama_ sailed into the U shaped docks that housed the US Navy's other world squadron, a small floatila of warships at anchor, ready at a moments notice to scramble to battle sat idle. As the _Alabama_ passed ships flying the ensigns of England, Germany and Japan alongside the Stars and Stripes of America, the sense of unity became clear to anyone who watched.

Cockmen could see that much.

"Ease her in now, and drop anchor when we're close enough" he watched the helm crew working to dock the warship, commenting "The tugs should be here in a few minutes". As predicted, a few naval tugs, flying the flags of Germany, and England, sailed close by, tossing lines onto the US ship's deck, crewmen in white quickly tired them down. Andrew watched Von Spee lean across a railing, shouting in German at one of the tugs, a sailor on deck, replying in German, began shouting back, the ship pulled alongside U1, and began pulling the craft away, towards the German Navy's docking space, the German captain smiled again, nodding in thanks, before climbing back down a rope ladder, to a rowboat that would take him back to his craft.

With a last wave, Cockmen watched the captain of the strange craft grow smaller as the boat rowed away, turning back to the small group of officers around him, he spoke "submersible" i'd rather do my fighting on the sea, rather then bellow it". he received a series of "Yes's" in agreement, but one man, a younger officer, still wet behind his ears, spoke up in an unmistakable New York accent"Still has quite the advantage don't it"?

Watching the metal tub being towed away towards the German dockyard, He had to agree with him there.

* * *

 **Outside the Walls of Itica, Imperial City**

The once flat landscape that had hugged the walls of the great city of Itica were no more, replaced by the massive shapes of a _Castra,_ a massive legion war camp. the forest that had once dotted the area, lay in ruin, the wood used to build the defenses for the remains of the Defense Force, still licking it's wounds from the battle at Alnus hills against the other world's Armies. The sight of the Legions marching, tails between their legs down the Appia Highway had almost brought tears to his eyes.

A defeat, Aquila believed he could rectify.

Walking through the rows of tents and quickly built barracks, only broken by squares of land clear for drilling, and eating, he found himself brought back to his roots as a soldier, the days on the warpath against the empires enemies, days long gone from now, when the empire's legion had been an unbeatable force, when the march of cohorts shook the earth, like Hardy's fury and chanted in a cry that would have made even Emroy tremble.

But now, with two losses underfoot, the moral of the men, was at an all time low, even more dented, was the legions pride, when word came, that their reinforcements, would be the armies of the vassal states, men, some of the older legionary officers, had fought against before. But, cooler heads had won the argument, in a time as dire as now, old rivialrys must be put aside in order for the empire's survival. The Vassal states would bring their armies, and strenghten the empire's forces two fold, it was worth the resentment of some of the older soldiers.

Entering the command tent, marked with it's eagle banner, and guards armed with shorts words flanking the door, he entered to find several officers in the torch lit space looking over maps of the area, marking possible enemy objectives, towns or roads and army would need to control in order to fight effectively in enemy lands. Still, the game of guessing their alien foe's next move.

A move the young Centurion thought he could counter.

"Ah, Aquila, you once again greet us with your presence" one officer noted with a laugh, it was little secret the young headstrong soldier had been pestering his commanders for action, and had become almost a regular in the command center of the legion. Her payed no heed to such jokes on his behalf. He pressed his idea fast to them, spreading the reasons for it's use all valid and effective.

In the middle of the crowd, Mathis stood, disrobed in legion armor, the the light red tunic worn underneath, listening to assesments of troop numbers and locations from his lower ranking officers, he looked up spotting the "young" soldier and addresed him "So, what have you for me"?

"Sir...i have tactic i think our foe cannot counter"

This raised one of the veteran general's eyebrows "And what would this be"?

The Legionary officer smiled with pride "During the battle, i observed something...off about the enemy's formations, something...missing, they have cavalry for screening footmen's movements, and siege weapons, but not one air cavalry troop, no dragons"!

The tent was silent, the faces around him wore a look of sudden epiphany at the enemies lack of dragons, or anger at this fact being presented by such a meager ranked man. Still the fact was true, the enemy had no airborne forces to speak of. A weakness if ever there was one.

"If we raid the enemy with dragons, we can slow his advance for some time. He has no armor against our air attacks! Despite the "magic" he has, we can at last best them in combat!"Mathis thought for a moment before speaking "We have so few footholds against them, i'll speak with the commander of or air legions on the matter" It wasn't a yes,but it was close enough, Aqulia smirked "Now we can hit these beasts were it hurts"!

* * *

 **US Cavalry Barracks, American Hill**

John Pershing couldn't help but smile, one thing people would never know about horse soldiers, despite being tough as they came, had a soft spot. A soft spot, for their mounts. He watched men fawn over their horses, brushing hair and feeding them gentle handfuls of oats, speaking to them in calm, hushed tones. Almost likes boys with pets.

He'd learned during his first actions in the western United States, a good officer made sure his men were in good shape. They'd lost men in the battle for what the locals called "Alnus" Hills, but they'd given the enemy more then just a black eye in return, and they were proud of that, like their grand fathers in the Civil War, they'd answered the call, and fight for their nation's honor, and done her proud.

Speaking to one of the soldiers, he asked for his mounts name, the man, with Irish red hair, smiled with a single missing tooth "names Beater sir" Pershing chuckled "She a rough ride?" He'd ridden enough to know how much a name like that could mean. "No sir, i call her Beater cause she beats any other horse i've rode, damn fine horse i you excuse my french"

Pershing nodded, rubbing the horse's mane "I can tell, she's looks to be a fine horse". In his time, Pershing had ridden his fair share of horses, and this one was a one of the best, well groomed and well fed, no marks from spurs, she knew orders without having to be kicked hard to get moving. He nodded at the young trooper, and moved on, checking over his unit. The 7th Cavalry may have had a checkered history, from the banks of the Little Big Horn, to the shores of Cuba, but he'd do his damn best to keep them alive in what was to come.

Near the end of the large building, the stalls housed the horses of the 10th Cavalry, the black troops, like their white counterparts, brushed fur and manes, reshoeing hooves and watering their beasts of war. Despite the thoughts otherwise, he'd never found the negro to be ahold of any less a brain then a white man. He'd served with the 10th in Cuba, seen the bravery they had shown charging with the rest up Kettle Hill, and, whenever he could, would defend their service in Cuba, and now. Walking down the line of men once more, he went on with his inspection.

* * *

 **Above Alnus**

Caelus Blail, looked from the back of his mount, a blue scaled dragon, at the activity on the large mesa like hills bellow, they made a rough bow shape, and on that "bow" lay an anthill of activity, the shapes of men, small and blury from so high up, moved about, wagons and horses loading and unloading all sorts of things, and butted against earthworks towards the front, the massive metal spear throwers, that had rained death down during the battles against the other world men. But now, if the words on one young officer held truth, they may just have their revenge.

It had been quite the debate, but the orders were to attack the enemy, the way cavalry might raid, riding in at a quick pace, and wreaking havoc.

Turning back in his saddle, Caelus nodded at the five other riders, and turned his mount snout towards ground, his life belting keeping him aboard the beast's back, and they charged towards the earth, out of the sun. A trick for scouting that might just give them an advantage now. Pulling on the reins, Caelus pulled the dragon's head up, as the men on the ground's shouts began to catch his ears. Some pointed upwards, others raised their staffs, slapping the side of the beast's head, it let loose a torrent of flames, that engulfed a dozen of the enemy's foot soldiers, sending up large black plums of smoke.

His fellow scouts followed in his wake, burning up the blue coated soldiers on the first hill, he felt himself grin as wicked thought entered his mind.

 _"Now we have you outdone!"_

The sound of one or two offbeat cracks told him the enemy was trying to fight back and he flew away, reigning the dragoon around for a second pass. One or two enemy strikes struck his mount, but her thick scales payed no heed to simple pinpricks. Behind him, men wirthered and burned in the flames, dragons spat an oil alongside their fire, that would not scrub off easily. Aiming his winged fury towards another of the massive flat topped hills, he saw the green claimed forms under a red and white flag with a corner of blue begin to run, taking cover and firing at him, again, he smiled, aiming the reins at another group of enemy soldiers, fleeing the flames...

The shoe was on the other foot now...

* * *

Pershing heard the dreadful sound of the beast's roaring cry before he saw it, heard the screams of men engulfed in flames outside, and pulled his colt free of it's holster, thumbed the hammer and fired as the beast pasted, a wall of flames igniting the tent to his right, not five feet away, he felt the flame's heat wash over his face, and pulled away as the gun clicked empty. Cursing, he reloaded as he moved through the chaos that now engulfed the hill.

Moving at a run, he came across a large blaze on top of a billet of tents near one of the roads on the hill. He quickly joined the men trying to put the fires out, the canvas tents so popular in the US army now burning like dry paper all around as flames licked everything in their path. Pershing could see why the dozens of men were trying to put out the flames with such vigor, a large cashe of shells sat only a ten feet away, hitched into a wagon, both it's horse's dead.

Men tossed buckets on water onto them, but the flames only hissed and fell for a moment, before burning once more. "It's some kinda oil! Douse em in dirt"! Shovels seemed to appear in men's hands, where they came from, Pershing didn't care, he took one, and began digging up dirt to throw onto the wall of flames that was quickly forming in front of them. Behind them, he heard a man yelling for soldiers to begin moving the shells. He turned his head as he dug, a young 2nd lieutenant with artillerymen stripes having taken charge of the effort, the fire seeming to fill his round wire framed glasses with flames. The man shrugged off his jacket, now in an undershirt, and jumped onto the wagon's back, and began pushing crates of shells out, for men to carry away.

Pershing made a note to remember to get that man decorated for his actions. Throwing down more dirt, some men began to make a firebreak, a wall of dirt about half a foot high, that seemed to be stopping the flames in their tracks, others joined in, even some of the artillerymen, one would be quite shocked to see how fast a human can work when life or death is what hangs in the balance. The dirt was stacked until it seemed to reach the men's ankles, not one pair of clean boots remained, the flames licked the wall, but could not pass it, Pershing left the soldiers to fight the shrinking blaze, to find his own troops...

* * *

 **Japanese Hill**

Corporal Taki watched the last dragon, it had to be a dragon, a giant lizard that spat fire like he'd read about as a child, he realized the scoop of the attack, although small, the enemy had burned much of the French, American, and Japanese positions. Horses screamed with foaming muzzles as men fought the flames. Others tended to wounded, many with rather severe burns. He'd seen nothing quiet like it before, not even during the war, he'd joined too late to fight the Czar's soldiers, but now he'd seen wars effects first hand again, even the battle for the hills had not been this...close.

Someone yelled and Taki turned to see...the Emperor of Japan standing next to him, he took a step back, and bowed, the man turned to him, face flushed for a moment, before nodding at the gesture, still looking on at the carnage all around. Men lay where they fell, burned like firewood, a bitter smoke rising high as the scream of the horrid lizards seemed to grow smaller as they left behind the hills.

"I pray that this...is all for something worth while" the Emperor said, more to himself then anyone else, as he moved on, Taki, rifle held in both hands, for a moment, admired the man of divine birth, for that moment, as a man, more so, then as his leader. Behind him, someone shouted for a collection detail to be called out for the bodies, he shock his head, and turned to find one. With so many bodies he realized, they'd need all the help they could get today.

* * *

 **West Point, New York**

Brigadier General Albert Leopold of the United State Army, had seen many and heard many strange things in his life, from ghost stories to thunderbirds, but, looking at the baby faced cadet with light hair seated across from him, and hearing his own request, had to be the strangest he;d yet encountered.

"Son...what your asking is..." he trailed off, never one for words.

"Sir, i know i can do some good if you'll just let me! Please, give me a commission with the troops on the other side! Please sir" the young plebe pleaded. Leopold was unsure what the young man was thinking, he had only been a cadet for two years, and had been held back once before, he was very far down on the list of people he would have given the army to command, officers in such short supply as it is, but, the boy had something he liked, high marks in his classes were it mattered.

"Son, do you know how i got this job"? he asked, stopping him mid sentence in his rant. The boy looked unsure at him "Sir, because your a fine officer, the story goes at least" Leopold smiled now, his lips brushing against his slowly greying mustache. "No, it was for getting shot". He let the words sink in, the cadet's eyebrows standing tall. "On the foot of San Juan Hill, i took a bullet here" He the side of his head for effect "I couldn't see, surgeon called it temporary blindness, but even blind, i wouldn't leave my men behind me. I had the fighting described to me, and thank god those boys had good eyes and minds" he almost laughed, he remembered the stuggle of the voices, full of fear from the battle, describing the enemy's movements for him.

"I was a Captain then, now, almost eight years latter, i sit before you, all because someone gave me the chance to prove myself here, and, with your marks in some of your classes, who am i to deny you the same"?

The boy's eyes grew wide, Leopold didn't think he'd have thought he'd have agreed with him when he came in. "Sir your sending me..."

"I'm sending you to an officers course the army is running near Washington, get you up to speed on what you may not know now, and then, they;ll assign you a billet in a unit" With the lack of officers during the last war, Leopold wasn't shocked when he'd heard the army had something like this set up. Reaching into his desk, the old soldier pulled out a set of ranks, and handed them to the younger man "I know you'll earn these, but i'll give em to you in advance, 2nd lieutenant Patton"

The Cadet put them on, grinning in pride "Yes sir, than you sir" he gave a crisp salute, and exited the room, a new thought on his mind.

" _Second Lieutenant George S. Patton"_ he liked the sound of that. He liked it a hell of a lot.


	7. Chapter 7 The Rising Tides

**Dragonheart51 :Yes Automobiles aren't of much use, that won't be replacing the horse anytime soon, and 2nd Lt Patton isn't "Old Blood and Guts" quite yet, but maybe he'll earn that title soon enough...**

 **retrogunner7 :AA weapons will be deployed, but dragons are a game changer, not one expected something so well armored in the air, but they like all weapons have a weakness.**

 **ManwithaPlan113 :They'll find a way, don't worry.**

 **Mac Tonight :If the British did have some type of AA weapon, they didn't think to bring it with them to Alnus it seems.**

 **SilverExcel115 :Bi-Planes are a LONG way off, but the allies will find a better means of defeating airborne foes soon enough.**

 **TwilightScarlet :That my friend, all depends on one thing. Can they catch him?**

 **Hans :That they are, although i did have another idea for a fic with such an idea, alas this one is instead what i worked on because its not as well known a time period.**

 **Mr Fizz: Ripe, for the taking my friend...**

 **ATP: Some of those ideas...may appear in this story, all i'll say right now...**

 **Juan Matteo Updates take time man, a lot of characters (A mistake on my part) and research on the era go into this story, i update as often as i can.**

* * *

 **"** ** _Strike an enemy once and for all. Let him cease to exist as a tribe or he will live to fly in your throat again_** **"**

 **-Shaka Zulu**

* * *

 **Imperial City of Ithica, 60 miles from Alnus Hills**

As the last Dragon returned, landing in the cleared field within the camp set aside for them, Aquila noted not one had been lost, and all rider's faces held smiles of victory. The thought of besting the other world armies was one that brought a smile to his own lips. Magic or not, they would be undone by the might of the Empire, with dragons cutting them to ribbons from the air, brought to bear like a crushing iron boot upon them.

From nearby, he heard the sound of stomping feet, all morning he'd heard it echo and now, it was at it's closest. From up the road, he watched a steady line of men in green armor, lion banners that marked them as coming from the Elbe kingdom held aloft as they sung songs of victory. The Armies of the vassal states had arrived. Many drilling legionaries stopped to watch as the endless line marched into camp, they looked ragged in green tunics and mail and metal helms of shapes far different from the legions, not polished like the their own armor, and carried a wide array of weapons. Aqulia noted the crossbows and pikes, even a larger balista being pulled by a horse. It seemed their leader, King Duran was taking this to be a serious fight.

 _"More so then the Senate"_ he noted, the fools still cried out for open battle with the enemy, something that had twice been proven to only favor defeat for the Empire, but the Empire's people could not see how their great power could be bested by such an alien enemy, and still demanded a victory against the other world, and he did not envy the man who would have to give them one.

...

Mathis put on a stern face as the leaders of the vassal state's armies entered his large tent, the twin guards at the entrance moving aside to let in the armor clad leaders pass, spears at their shoulders as the half dozen men took seats around a table bearing a map of the Alnus region, Alnus Hills were marked by a large black circle, his own forces in royal crimson. Lord Calite, leader of the Salius vassal state dressed in armor with an azure blue cloak, was the first to speak "So then, the enemy remains upon Alnus Hills?" he said, looking over the map, Calite was by no means a soldier from what Mathis knew, and was likely looking for insight on the current issues facing them then in the form of asking a minor question. It was good to know not every noble fancied himself a genius of war just by the power he held over commoners.

"Yes, our scouts say that well they have deployed more soldiers, they have held fast to the hills, besides the occasional scouting party, they likely face the same challenge we did when we invaded through the Gates into their kingdoms, an unknown landscape before them to fight upon" He realized they may have some captured maps, but it would take time for them to make anything of them, time he would make sure to use the most of in his preparation for the coming battles ahead.

"With the combined forces you bring, we can likely pull the enemy towards another battle, one that is in our favor" Mathis knew at once his words did not hold the confidence he'd wanted them to, one of the Vassal leaders, a Duke from a small kingdom spoke up in a harsh voice "If the enemy have weapons that can decimate entire legions in mere hours, what good shall our numbers do? What type of battle can we fight them in and win"? The room erupted into argument quickly, men of the Vassals and the Legion yelling, some for orders, others for retreat against what they saw as an unbeatable foe.

"Nonsense" can sharp reply from the tent's corner, everyone stopped as they realized who had spoken, seated in a chair, calmly staring down his fellow leaders, king Duran gazed sharply with his single green tinted eye, like a big cat on the hunt for prey, sizing the men in the room down "If we do not _speak_ we shall be defeated before we ever march onto the battlefield". His calm demeanor and words seemed to sooth the tension in the room, the other Vassal leaders sat down, Duran looked to Mathis with a slight smile, one the harden general returned _"The Lion of the Elbe" indeed"_ he thought as they went back to their discussion of the battle to come, and Mathis realized the King of the Elbe might be his best weapon in this war...

* * *

 **Alnus American Hill, "** _ **Teddy's Peak"**_

With a jaunt in his step, the 26th President of the United States walked through the massive arched doorway that seemed to contain another world, flanked by agents of the secret service on both sides. Dressed in overcoats and bowler hats, they'd come along despite the scoffing by Roosevelt "Nonsense, security among our own troops"? but they'd insisted he at least have a few agents with him, he had to give them credit, they were if anything else, persistent if they could wear him down to a "yes" on the matter of his own security. Every since his predecessor William McKinley had been killed in broad daylight around dozens of people, the secret service had guarded life of the presidency like a hound on a bone.

Despite the unspoken agreement, the president did nothing to hide his presence, shaking the hand of the first soldier he saw with vigor and a toothy grin "Good to see you lad" and damning any "proper" conduct to hell, he himself had been a soldier at one time, hadn't he? At his side, was the Chief of Staff of the Army dressed in the Union blue uniform of the general staff, the aging General Adna Chaffee, a man who'd worked from a young private in the Civil War almost 44 years early to where he was now. The two chatted idlely as they inspected the fortifications being set up and the drilling of soldiers.

"Sir, i tell you, this army has come a long way since i was a newly minted lad in Army of the Potomac under Little Mac" the aged officer said with a certain wet fondness to his words, Roosevelt nodded "Indeed, General McCleallan was quite the man" he said to be polite, although he considered him to share his backbone with that of a worm, his dismal performance lead the first man in Roosevelt's party to hold office, Lincoln, to relieve him of his command after all.

Down the slope sat a stout grey walled building, two soldiers with shouldered rifles and wide brimmed Montana hats in green stood at the door, a sign over their heads identified it as the US Army's headquarters. "A step up from the War department" Chaffee said with a smile, the cold grey building adjacent to the white house was not a favorite place for the old trooper. Stepping forwards, both sentries looked shocked, before snapping to attention, hands to their foreheads in salute,Roosevelt smiled, as Chaffee gruffly returned them to guard, with a the phrase "As you were" and a nod. Inside, the spaced seemed crammed like an eclair bursting from the seems with cream, maps, all hand drawn, pinned to every wall and men looking them over.

In the middle, under a harsh bright light, bent over a table was a slim man in green who the president needed no introduction to the general with the golden star and blue ribbon of the newly minted style of America's highest military award, the Medal of Honor on his chest ,and the man behind it, Leonard Wood.

"Leonard"! he said happily as the man with general's ranks looked up and smiled "Mr President" as the two old friends shook hands warmly. "the last time we met on a battlefield Leonard, you outranked me" Roosevelt said chuckling, the war with Spain seven years early was but a distant memory, of better days in the hot Cuban July, smoke forming over the American lines of battle as they traded shots with the Spaniards, it had been for both men, different times. Now they sat at the front of a new war, another American war.

Changing the subject towards the present,Chaffee spoke up "Sir, perhaps we should be briefed on the progress of our Army" something he'd found one needed to do often with Roosevelt, the man always seemed to get off topic. "Yes yes, right. How goes are war general"? Wood smiled "Well sir, as you know, it was only three weeks ago we first "landed" here, we fought off the Romans, and took the hills for ourselves. We are currently trying to piece together a rough map of the area, so far, we've had some luck, using what maps we've captured and local geography, and one larger map we bought-"

"Bought"? Chaffee asked, he'd never heard of such a practice of buying such a critical piece of information. "How did you...buy such a map, if i may ask General"? Wood smiled again rubbing his hands together as he recalled his time on the frontier, more then once the cavalry had been forced to buy needed supplies from civilians just like this now simply to lack of supply.

"Well sir, it seems the Romans had a regular trade deal with merchants, they follow the armies, and when one arrived late he instead found us. After some debating, we bought everything he had, including a dozen detailed maps of the region we now reside in." he recalled the man's frightend reaction turning to glee as he realized the invaders would buy all his stock, they'd likely overpayed him, but they'd found quite a lot of gold coins in some of what must have been officer's tents, and it had been worth whatever price they'd extended past for such invailable information.

"One can never put a price on information, can they"? Roosevelt laughed, draining the tension from the room at once, a power he'd had since birth. Wood brought over a copy of one of the maps, painstakingly redrawn by a steady handed officer. It showed a series of flat topped hills sitting on a mesa, written over it was _Alnus._

"Alnus"? Chaffee asked, Wood returned it with a nod "Yes sir, our best guess is the enemy speaks something akin to Latin, and more then one man on my staff can speak it" he added, West Point forced plebs to learn another language, most choose French, others German, but Latin still had some appeal for some. it seemed to be coming handy after all.

"Has it helped with any of the prisoners"? Chaffee asked on.

"No sir, they seem to speak a dialect unalike most of our own Latin speakers, something akin to the different between English spoken in Boston to that of Tennessee."

Roosevelt grinned showing his legendary set of chompers "I know what you mean man" and laughed heavily, the laugh Wood had been introduced to in the steaming Cuban jungles almost seven earlier, and one he'd grown use to. He went on, explaining how they were now building up forces to push outwards via a road system that went north, but that would take a good deal of man power to make happen. The US was one of the luckier nations in that regard, they didn't have to worry about old world enemies at their borders like most of Europe did, even the Germans and English with their massive armies, were deploying them at a trickle.

"It's our destiny you know" Chaffee chimed in "The same way we cleared the plains of the savages, we'll clear these lands of this barbaric empire and make it our own" he was starting to sound like one of Heast's papers, full of everything the average American wanted to hear and only the pleasing truth Wood thought to himself, but Roosevelt didn't seem fazed by such an idea "Indeed Adna, indeed! We'll give them a Bully time for this for sure."

Roosevelt's wheels had begun spinning, and he was on a role now "It's our right by jingo! The American soldier always brings about a better age for the nation, from the Revolution against England to the War between North and South, it is the age of change we are in the mist of!" Chaffee nodded in agreement with his leader, and Wood followed suit.

"Now then, what is this i hear about heroic actions"? Lenard smiled at the changing of the subject to something he _did_ have some say in "Sir, during the recent enemy raid, several soldiers put aside their lives to save others, pulling shells from a burning wagon to keep them from exploding, all under the leadership of a lieutenant..." he read the name slowly "Harry Truman, Colonel Pershing saw the entire thing, and put him in for a medal".

The mention of Pershing made Roosevelt smile again "John's a good man, i'm sure he did more then just watch."

"Maybe he did sir, but John was always a modest man too if you recall right from Cuba." Pershing had been an officer in the 10th Colored Cavalry, they'd fought alongside the Rough Riders from the beaches to the hills, and done everything they'd done too, never getting the credit they deserved, John had never been one to embellish his deeds, not that they often needed embellishing. Not with what they'd done on Kettle Hill (Which seemed doomed by history to be miss-labeled as San Juan the same way Breeds Hill as Bunker Hill) they'd charge alongside the Rough Riders, and fought with bayonet and rifle butt as rough as anyone else could have.

Reading the citation written by Pershing, Roosevelt grinned once more "By god, the way this sounds, we very well may have a future general on our hands, or perhaps a president even" he chuckled at his joke, as did the rest of the men in the room, even in an unsure world like this, a low officer making it to the white house was unlikely, even he knew that.

Chaffee spoke again "So what else do we know so far about this place"? Wood pressed a finger to his chin "Well sir..." and began explaining the beasts and species they'd found so far...

* * *

 **German Hill, Alnus**

The sleek imperial blue pressed uniforms of the soldiers of the III Corps seemed flawless as they marched past in step, Masuers at their shoulders, and distinct leather _picklehelm_ spiked headgear of the German Army. The Kaiser's eye gleamed as he watched what seemed to be the finest army since Cesar's Rome thunder by. The German army was a large entity, with almost eight massive corps, and even with them, she could not afford to deploy it's bulk to the new world. Instead, two armies, II and III would be spared, alongside a naval squadrons from the Imperial Navy, the largest deployment of such forces, since the Franco-Prussian war almost 35 years prior.

"This..." the monarch said, voice dripping with pride "Is our future at work, the wheels of fate turning for Germany, and the world around us." Beside him, Alfred von Schlieffen, his aging head of the army tried not to focus on his shriveled right arm, something he'd carried with him since birth, a source of utter embarrassment for him, even now it was hidden by the long sleeve of his coat, his good hand clutching his bad,from a distance,nothing appeared amiss with the Emperor, just the way he wanted it.

"How soon will we have the troops Field Marshal Von Bülow requires"? Willhelm asked, not looking away from the legion of marching men. Von Schlieffen answered "Another week or so sire." The plan the general staff had created was simplistic, they would move to hold the nearest enemy city, using it to launch further advances against the Romans in the area, a war plan that the other allies agreed with. The alliance would have been dead if not for the men of the translation corps,the multi-national force that spent day and night translating letters for the different armies, to keep the information flow unbroken between the great powers, it had been a Japanese idea, one that had surprised Von Shlifeffen, but after the defeat of the Czar, he'd learned that the Japanese were often full of surprises when it came to underestimating their intelligence.

The Kasier began walking beside the rows of troops on the move, speaking as he moved "What is this i have heard about Roosevelt being here"?

The rumors had spread fast from what the military man had heard, that the American president had too come to the new world through the Doorway, the Kasier wasn't known for his modesty, and it seemed from his tone he was annoyed another leader had tried to steal some of the fame from his visit.

"Yes sire, it seems he too has arrived to ruffle the hearts of his soldiers." Say what you wanted about him, Roosevelt was brave, if a fool to the Kasier's point of view. Their two nations had clashed before, during the Venezuelan crisis in 1902. and off the Philippines in1898, American and German warships nose to nose when the two powers stared one another down, the Kasier hoping for a prospect of capturing land in the chaos of the war with Spain, but it had not gone as planed, and in the end, the affairs of Europe had dictated Germany to stand down to them.

But now, for now anyway, old world rivalries had to be put aside for the common cause they marched towards, and meeting with his opposite from across the Atlantic would look good for the papers, and for the appearance of unity among the two nations. "i think paying the president a visit might give us a better idea of what our two nations can do together."

Say what you wanted about the Kasier being short sighted (not in his presence mind you), he wasn't a fool when it came to international affairs like this, he could see the need for unity...for now at least. Marching with his entourage of military officers, they moved alongside the marching troops, heading towards the hilltop flying the stars and stripes.

After several minutes, most of the men, old soldiers who hadn't been in combat in years, were breathing heavily, and panting, to his credit, the Kasier showed little of his own dis comfort, simply grasping his limp arm with his good hand, and pushing on through the pain up the hill, past more then one surprised American dressed in brimmed hats. Ahead, a crowed had gathered and a booming voice spoke in American English. The Kasier shouted in the accented English he knew, and heads turned to look at the monarch, one of them, was that of the president of the United States. As both approached each other, Von Schlieffen even if not by any means a man of faith, prayed this would end well...

* * *

 **The Great Sea**

Fleet Lord Piscis, although he scoffed at the name for his "fleet" was nothing more then a few coastal raiders, the empire had always prided itself on it's army, not it's navy after all, looked at his map once more, the soft shapes of bays and coves of the eastern coastline, for a place to set down and make repairs. They'd been at see for close to a week now, avoiding the open seas in fear of the iron ships of the other world, the black puffing smoke they let off was always followed by defeat, death, and destruction. He sighed gripping the bridge of his nose with his fore fingers, the sea was no place for a soldier of the Empire.

A young sailsman dressed in a grey tunic shouted "Something off the side"! fingers pointed at something rising up from the waves.

From the deck, a cry came, as the lookout yelled out too, something off the bow of the ship. He turned his own eye, and moved his looking glass to his eye, a black shape hung low on the waterline, a dew spire like humps sat on it's back. Just a geyser beast, they often followed the routes of fishing ships, and his vessels did bear some similar features to such ships.

"It's nothing, just a sea beast. nothing to worry about lads" he said, he'd seen everything the sea had to offer since he'd been stuck on this ship as a boy, he knew danger when he saw it.

...

"Ah ha" Von Spee almost laughed as he climbed the ladder up to the deck of U-1, sticking his head out, a hand over his brow to blot out the sun, he spotted just what he'd been looking for, enemy ships, the wooden sail ships reminded him of Viking Longboats crossed with a Spanish Gallion, it pained him to have to sink such lovely crafts, but war was war. They'd been stalking the waters off of what was being called "Cape Darwin", a massive curved island that cut the shore four miles away into a bay. And it seemed now they'd found their first targets, these were warships, not the fishing boats they'd spotted so many times before, and now was the time to act.

"Orders Captain"? a sailor asked from bellow, he looked down "Load a Torpedo and submerge, were going to go after the lead ship". Sliding down the ladder, a skill honed from years aboard ships, Von Spee move to his place at the submersible's helm the single large chamber that housed the hips crew of a dozen men in the middle a spot was left open, near the perisope tube,,his seat of command. The dozen other crewmen aboard with him went about their duties, running the engine, manning the torpedo, even a Maxim Gun crew, they'd practiced setting up the machine gun on deck to strafe ships with, all under his leadership, in a ship that would make a new age come about, in a land of a new age come about.

He liked the way that sounded.

The engines hummed to life, the ballast pumps filling with water, and lowering the ship beneath the waves once more, only the top of the periscope uncovered by the waves. The craft made it'a attack run, chugging under the sea at eight knots with a special built six cylinder kerosene engine, startling fish in it's wake as it charged like a knight of old on horse back, towards the slender wooden ships.

"In range in three...two...one..." an ensign cried out tracking their distance from the convoy, the periscope bore markings for when they'd be in range, and taking a look, Von Spee was the rounded circle embedded in the frame was know above the lead craft's deck, a sign that they were the right distance from it to fire.

"On my order...steady...steady...fire"! the loud _clang_ of the fish being launched from the torpedo tube echoed through the ship, followed by the soft wizz of the weapons propelling itself towards the enemy...

...

Piscis saw it before he heard the shouts of others, some kind of of creature under the waves swimming at full speed towards them, like the playful beaked nosed fish he'd seen so often as a child near the shore, but this sea creature held nothing but i'll omen from it's course, he cried out for someone to strike the sails and turn them, but as he let the first words escape his throat, he felt a massive shock, and was knocked to the deck as the wood crumbled around him, the entire front of the deck was aflame or afloat, as a dozen men's screams came together into an echo of horror, before he could stand, the remaining ship beneath him, plunged into the wavers...

...

"Good Hit"! Von Spee yelled watching the ship sink through the periscope, the crewmen cheered at their first victory, but he quickly added a stern "Quiet" to remind them, they had more enemy craft to sink. The battle lasted another twenty minutes, they sunk two more ships with as many torpedoes, and left the last ship, the smallest of the four in this convoy, to spread the word of the terror that now lay bellow the waves for the enemy. Von Spee touched a finger to his cap,as they surfaced, looking over the wreckage of wood and bodies floating in the water, the last enemy ship's blood red sail sinking beneath the waves, he thought of Nelson at Trafalgar, almost 100 years early, and asked himself if he'd felt the same pride as he lay dying as the German now felt over his own victory at sea. But the difference was Nelson's victory had called an end for sail ships in the age of naval warfare, being the last big battle of it's era. This victory had only _begun_ a new age of warfare at sea, far removed from the wood and sail of Nelson.

* * *

 **London England**

Arthur Conan Doyle was not one easily tricked, but the arch of the Doorway revealed no trick, only a rip into another world, one that that reports claimed seemed scores behind his own. Swords and horses, like something out of one of his Brigadier Gerard stories, his love letters to history overshadowed by Holmes in popularity, a sad turn of events he thought once more.

He'd been one of many men invited to study it, he was known across the world as one to debunk frauds of this type,but after an army marched through to war, he didn't think it needed any proving that the Doorways were genuine. Beside him, Wells looked over the large arch again, as men in the new army browns, Lee Enfields at their shoulders, marching through it into the dark void. "Quite the parlor trick, they go in one side, and go somewhere else through the other, almost like the messages in the wireless." he noted.

"Agreed Herbert" Doyle said, it was good the two of them had come down to watch this alongside the small crowd that had formed nearby, day by day the world seemed to be spinning out of control, the front page of the Daily Telegraph showed Theodore Roosevelt shaking hands with the Kasier, he recalled only a few years before the two nations at each others throats, and now this. It was the same with England and France, before the Doorway, they'd only just begun to join one another as allies, but with it's appearance, they had come to each others sides like wounded wolves in a fight. The fate of the world was changing daily it seemed.

Wells could tell current events were on his mind "Are you following the news out of Morocco"? Sadly, Doyle was. The Sultan of Morocco had been assassinated by some desert pirate named Raisuni, the entire country was in an uproar over it, a full fledged civil war was brewing, with Europe quickly taking sides, the French were backing Raisuni it seemed, trying to get on the perceived victor's good side. On the other end of the spectrum, the Germans were supporting what remained of the old regime in an attempt to raise from the grave. All Doyle knew was the situation seemed to be getting worse by the day. Meanwhile that Lenin fellow seemed to be gaining support from the Russian military, none too happy with the Czar's choice of ignoring the Doorways appearance, it seemed like his reign was quickly coming to an end and a new government was rising in it's place.

It was as if the world had turned upside down.

* * *

 **Outskirts of Nalmian plains,30 miles from Alnus**

The French cuirassier put his binoculars to his eyes shifting his breast under the armored torso he wore and puffed helmet to get a look ahead, the gun totting cavalryman's troop had been sent forward to scout the stone paved highway that headed off the hills of Alnus, and now peering through his binoculars , he watched dust kicked up into the air, several miles away, heading towards a moderately sized town that sat on the banks of a river.

He'd been in enough maneuvers near the border to be able to tell the massive clouds marching troops kicked up in their wake, from miles away. The enemy was on the move, and what ever they had planed, the alliance would know, and counter it. Whipping his reins high, the horseman galloped off back to where the rest of his troop was hidden.


End file.
